4 months and a mini vacay

Tori was supposed to have her 4 month check up on Monday but we moved it to today because..

 

WE ARE GOING TO THE BEACH NEXT WEEK! YAY!

 

Only for a day/night but still.. I am excited. I love the beach... and the timing is perfect because our 2 year wedding anniversary is on Tuesday.

We are staying in Rehoboth for the night at a hotel right by the boardwalk. My mom is coming along also and she will be helping out with Tori overnight so that Dan and I can go out for the night to get drinks/food :) it is so nice to have family to help with things like that. I am a bit anxious about the drive with Tori, we still haven't decided what time we are leaving or anything but I hope it happens to be during a nap for her. I am also anxious about her sleeping in her pack and play overnight, she has never slept anywhere but her crib overnight.. I hope she does ok. I have read that now is the perfect time to take a vacation with her because it should be the easiest.. fingers crossed!

 

Tori's 4 month appointment went well. She is doing SOOOO good, 13lbs, 13oz and 24 inches long, in the over 70% for both categories. Some of the questions I went wth today were 1-is chlorine ok for her? I have taken her in a pool a few times and Dan was freaked lol but the Dr said its totally fine. 2-she has a red patch on the back of her head.. its a birthmark lol. 3-is she ready for cereal? The Dr said that at this stage, cereal is not to be used as a meal for her but rather than to just introduce it to her so that she can start learning how to swallow. I may try it here and there in the next few weeks we will see. Im really not in a rush.
Month 3 into 4:
She is laughing a lot, totally recognizing Dan and I. She holds her head up much better. She loves trying to hold her bottle. She likes holding onto my fingers. She bites/sucks on my face when she gets hungry or tired. She likes sitting beside Daddy on the couch. She likes to cover her face with anything she can get her hands on. She likes to grab her feet.

 

26

This year is the first in my 26 years (well that I can remember) where I have officially felt like my birthday doesn't matter lol. No really, not to be dramatic, but it felt very much like it was just another day. I got no cake, there was no party.. only my father in law sung me happy birthday. When I was younger I used to say my birthday was my favorite "holiday"...mostly because I liked the fact that I was the only one to get presents and everyone seemed to be extra nice on my birthday lol. So I guess the whole not feeling like it was really my birthday thing hit me harder than I expected.

I am not one of those people who doesn't want to get older. I mean, my life has really only gotten better as the years have passed. I am not going to lie though, officially be closer to 30 than I am to 20 gave me the creeps a bit. I can remember my parents being in their 30's.. crazy.

When I was younger I couldn't ever imagine my future. Is that weird? I legit like couldn't see what I would look like, what I would be doing, etc. I had come up with two possible reasons for that. My first reason was sad and I thought maybe I couldn't see it because it would suck lol... and then the second reason I have thought was maybe it was because my life would be so awesome that I couldn't imagine it because I couldn't even dream up how it would be.

The second reason was right.

 

I am married to the perfect guy for me. I have the most beautiful and sweet daughter in the whole wide world. I love my job. I have a fabulous group of friends. My family is doing well, everyone is healthy and happy.

 

When I turned 24 I got married. 25 I had my child. 26 I get to spend my first full year having the two most important people in my life with me and cherishing every moment with them.

 

Happy Birthday to me =)

 

                                                                                         

 

IM DONE PUMPING! WOOHOO!

I don't have to sneak away at events to pump, I don't have to pack all of my pump stuff everywhere I go, I don't have to drop everything and anything I am doing every 3 hours to pump, I don't have to make sure my phone is charged so I can have something to do while all by myself pumping, I don't have to wash my pump stuff... done, done done! WOOOHOOO!!!! I feel so much less stressed. So much less anxious. I feel like I am myself again. What a weight off of my shoulders. I REALLY hope my next child (yes I said it, my next child) can latch just fine and I can skip the pumping all together.
Next topic.. Victoria Luna. UGH. How do I describe that little ball of chubby perfection?! Shes getting more and more strong and smart. I am savoring every second with her. Dan is home from teaching for the summer and I am really loving it. We are getting lots of time together and enjoying a busy summer together. Tori is recognizing Dan more and more.. anytime he is in the room her eyes are completely locked on him. She is always staring at him it is so cute. She thinks daddy is just the most handsome guy ever(I obv agree!).
I was just in Baltimore this past weekend for Merediths bachelorette party. We actually surprised her and had her bridal shower and bachelorette party all in the same weekend because Jenna was able to fly up here from Louisville KY and we wanted her to be a part of both events. Mer had no idea it was her shower and was really surprised. I am so excited about her and Travis getting married. It is so fun that I have been best friends with her for 15 years, we have been in each others lives for everything since 6th grade, she was in my wedding two years ago, was one of the first people to come see me and Tori in the hospital.. now its her turn and i get to be a part of her big day as she marries Travis.
My birthday is this week. I have obviously never had an issue with a birthday because i mean, hello, im young.. but i will officially be closer to 30 than i am to 20 as of Wednesday and I am a little iffy about it lol!!! I have always said I know my life will only get better and better as i get older, and it definitely has.. but its just so crazy... sometimes I feel like 21 was yesterday..and sometimes it seems like so long ago.
This coming weekend we are going to a Phillies game with friends to celebrate my bday.My parents are watching Vicotria. I LOVE tailgating and I love day drinking lol so i know we are going to have a lot of fun!

Ok I think that is all for now. As per usual..enjoy some pictures:

3 MONTHS

3 months have come and gone. I have officially hit that point of feeling like time is going fast. I caught myself the other day saying "I don't want Tori to keep getting so independent". And by independent I mean she puts her hands up at her bottle like she wants to hold it, she sets the music off by herself on her play mat... and another thing which is so cute is when I am playing with her Ill make a sound and then go in for a kiss... and now when she hears the sound she starts to squirm and move her little head around because she knows I am about to kiss/tickle her. It is seriously just adorable.
Now that she is getting more interactive I have been exploring different things to do to support and be a part of her learning. One thing we are going to do next week is take a Gymboree class. They allow you to take the class once for free to see how the baby likes it so we are going to check it out Monday. The class is supposed to work on her motor skills, etc. Tori got to go swimming for the first time this past week and other then the first second of the cold water startling her, she loved the water. She was so cute just sitting in it and moving her legs around. It went really well. I looked into swim lessons which at our local Y she can start at 6 months. The beginning stages of the swim classes are mommy and me style classes which focus on keeping Tori interested in water and getting her comfortable. I have been continuing to read to her regularly and she has this adorable jungle keychain and I go through each key showing her the different animals and make the sounds for her. She laughs the whole time which I am pretty sure is because she thinks I am a crazy lady lol. A few years ago I took an American sign language class and I know a few basic signs, the alphabet etc so I also in the next few months want to start introducing her to a few basic ones like mommy, daddy, milk, more, done, etc. I am sure I sound a little over the top right now, I mean, she IS only 3 months old.. but I guess I just want to make sure that early on Dan and I get her interested in learning and education. I really feel like the younger the child is when you start getting them involved in these things the more likely she is to stay interested in it.
My weaning process has officially been in full swing. I am currently only pumping for comfort, so if I get super full I pump. Victoria has been going back and forth from breastmilk and formula like a champ. Baby girl loves to eat so she doesn't complain, whatever is in front of her she will eat lol.
I had been trying to go to the gym here and there the past few weeks but have decided June is going to be the month I go back to full swing. Now that Tori is 3 months old she can go into the kids club at LA Fitness so actually tonight we are going to take her there and see how she does. I know the ladies who work there so I am not worried about that part, I am mostly nervous about the other kids in there. They allow kids up to the age of 12 in there so I just want to make sure none of the kids are being rough around her or anything.
Whew, that was a long one. Here is a month in pictures:

 

Victoria Luna, another month has passed and somehow everyday with you only seems to get better and better. You make my life and whole being complete. Mommy loves you.