Is it really possible that our little Nutmeg is already 2 months old? The past few weeks have simply flown by and Autumn continues to thrive and grow with each passing day. While week 7 came and went without an update, I will attempt to backtrack and make light of all the little milestones that she has begun to reach!
Her smiles are ear to ear at this point and just when we think they can't get any bigger they do! Chris and I both struggle with trying to capture as much as we can on camera because we really are two live in the moment type of people, yet we want to share and capture each fleeting milestone as well! You'll typically find us both relishing in the moment then stumbling and racing to grab the camera to capture what we can if the moment hasn't disappeared. Thankfully if we didn't capture it the first time the chances of her repeating it are pretty good!
Autumn absolutely adores her bath time. In an effort to get her to sleep soundly through the night we have come up with a nightly routine that soothes her right into dreamland. First it's bath time where she splishes and splashes cooing at us as we both focus trying to scrub every little inch of her. There is nothing quite sweeter smelling than a clean baby! Next, I usually try to follow with a little baby massage if rubbing her little legs, heart tummy and tiny hands and feet. I'd like to think that she adores this time where she gets her nightly rub down but there are moments when I think she is ultimately looking forward to the next event, the feeding! We feed her and then swaddle her mid-feeding to continue to soothe her into a sleep. Usually half-way through the feeding she is beginning to get those tired eyes and it's the perfect time to snuggle her up in her swaddle and begin to move into her nursery where we typically finish the feeding in her rocker singing her to sleep or putting on her white noise that will eventually lull her into dreamland. After her feeding there are plenty of kisses and good nights before she gets put soundly into her crib and where she will typically sleep for about 6-8 hours! We are told that this stretch of time at only 2 months old is amazing so we're hoping that this nightly routine continues to work!
We're proud of ourselves as parents that we have had the self-control to keep her in her crib and begin to allow her to do some self-soothing. There were several nights there where we couldn't resist and brought her into the pack-n-play in our room, but those nights have been behind us for several weeks and we feel she is comfortable in her crib and we love that we are now able to get a bit more shut eye during the night. We are counting our blessings as I have heard other mom's talking of sleep regressions which can happen in the coming weeks. Fingers crossed we skip that phase perhaps!
We took Autumn on her first beach trip last week and we think that she loved it! It was still a bit of a chilly Florida winter day but we let her dip her booties in the sand. A wave ended up sweeping up to our surprise and getting those little booties a bit wet but Autumn didn't seem to mind at all. We noticed her sticking her tongue out even more as she lapped at the sea salt air. We're pretty certain she's going to love the beach just as much as her mom and dad do and can't wait for all the beach trips this summer will hold. Her little swimsuit is calling her name already!
Adventurer's at heart, Chris took us on our first family hike this past week as well! While she spent the entire hike completely cozy inside her Ergo, we are positive she is developing a love for the outdoors already. We notice a peacefulness and calmness about her when we take her outside and we love that. Toga and Lola took advantage of a creek that we discovered and would you believe that this is Toga's first experience swimming with three legs? She never ceases to amaze us with her capabilities. Needless to say we'll be returning the doggie lifevest that we felt she needed. She's living proof that with the amazing heart, spirit, and determination, one is capable of absolutely anything.
My dad, Autumn's Grandpa Hale, stopped by for several hours of oohing and awwing over her cuteness. We enjoyed a morning of conversation over doughnuts and catching up on all that has been happening with Chris and I's pride and joy. It's remarkable how Autumn's mere presence becomes the center of almost every conversation we have. It just makes me swoon even more as a new parent, something both Chris and I are still relishing in.
It is amazing how motherhood has brought me even closer to my mom now more than ever. I almost need an entire post dedicated to just how much I have learned from my mom as I embark on a journey that she has been on already for almost 28 years! As I watch and observe all the little ways in which she cares for Autumn I can't help but smile. I feel so incredibly fortunate that during this time in Autumn's life I have my mom so close to me. Not only can I pick up the phone at all hours of the night if I needed to, but I can hop in the car and be at her doorstep in 45 short minutes. As a woman who boasts herself at being incredibly self-sufficient and independent, I have thoroughly enjoyed the past few days that I have gotten to spend with my mom as she snuggles and cuddles with Autumn while I complete sewing some much needed curtains for our bedroom. I now embrace more than ever the time I get to spend with her just hanging out, talking and cooing over little Autumn's cuteness!
And as one chapter begins another one ends. We made the executive decision to close Absolutely Fabulous Weddings with the birth of little Autumn. We came to the conclusion that while we designed some incredible memories and thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of owning our own business, our business model at this point in time and in the economy was not fail safe and the birth of Autumn confirmed that we could not sustain the long hours of nights and weekends that we were putting into sustaining AbFab. Team AbFab on the other hand will not disappear. Lauren, Alaina and I have developed a bond that will sustain any test of time and we are all taking this opportunity to open the new chapters in our lives.
Lauren has taken the opportunity to take her personal training to the next level by starting her own blog titled Strong.Healthy.Balanced and is honing in on building up her clientele in the area and pursuing her love of fitness. I simply can't wait until Autumn gets a few months older and we can collaborate by doing some group fitness and boot camp classes. With our love of the outdoors, we have seen a need in this area to get people outside and exercising and what better place to do it in than in a state that is sunny 12 months out of the year! I have missed my roots which are deeply embedded in fitness and becoming a new mom has made me recognize just how flexible my prior fitness career was with my schedule. I look forward to a yogafit training I have coming up in March and testing to renew my Crossfit Certification officially becoming a Level 1 trainer in May. I'm motivated beyond belief to find my fitness routine pre-baby and will be posting updates soon on working out with baby in tow!
Alaina is continuing to pursue her true passion as a makeup artist and is already developing a following of her own to no surprise at Alaina Mitchell Makeup Art. The way that her Midas touch makes a woman feel is truly one-of-a-kind and it astonishes me the way that she can bring out a woman's true beauty with the touch of her brush. I captured this picture of Alaina putting Autumn in her mirror 'trance dance' and would you believe that little girl just can't get enough of her own gorgeous face? And neither can we!
And as I find my own true calling as a mother of little Autumn Rose, I couldn't be more proud of both Lauren and Alaina for pursuing their passions and continuing to dream big. Motherhood has truly has forced me to reflect on how fast paced my life was, (more on that later) and realize that while I will always be a dreamer and a do-er at heart, there is something beautiful about taking in a single moment. If you knew me, you knew I was consistently multi-tasking at every turn. Since the birth of Autumn, I have begun to cherish every single moment for what it is worth, taking one day at a time. One breath at a time. And what am I discovering? Life in the slow lane is a beautiful thing. While I may hardly find the time to take a hot shower, or cook a warm meal, just being with Autumn, learning from her and caring for her adorable self every single day has given me an entirely new perspective of self-fulfilment and self-realization. She doesn't seem to mind that there are days when I barely make it out of my pajamas or that my hair is tossed up 99% of the time. So long as she has a shoulder to snuggle on, she's content and happy.
Happy 2 month birthday to our sweet little Autumn Rose! Each and every day she never ceases to amaze Chris and I with her inner and outer beauty. No amount of dirty laundry, spit-up on clothes, or sleepless nights will ever change that! Thanks to Lo-N for creating this awesome 2 month onesie at the Welcome Autumn party! Autumn loves her big sisters Lola and Toga already!
