Chicago ::: Week 1

For weeks before Leo and I got home, my mom started nesting. I knew she was up to something, but when we got home and saw the fruits of her labor, it made me tear up. They had a wall installed in a guest bedroom so that Leo could have his own little nook. And he loooooved it.

 

 

It was just so touching and adorable, and made us right at home.

When Joel saw it, he was nervous that Leo wasn't going to want to come home since his "room" at Coco and Papa's house is almost nicer than his at home! 

This summer will be Leo's only summer with his little nook, because while we were there - my parents also bought a new house! 

The house is basically a tear down, so it will take a year to build, but it will be a pretty awesome house for us (and Leo), since its right on the water - and has a pool!

Every time we go home, the first order of business is deep dish pizza and good bottle of wine, so we crossed that off the list right away. 

 And, that also marked the last time I held my baby for 2 weeks.

 

   

 

We also got smart and decided to take advantage of all of those extra hands and snuck away for our friends wedding. 

 

Saturday was a rough day of recouping.....we suck at staying out past our bedtime these days....but we pulled it together and helped my parents get everything set up for the baptism that following Sunday.

Thursday Thoughts

::: I still need to get around recapping our time in Chicago - and my goal is to get that up here by Monday. I feel like if I don't get a post on here - than I'll lose the pictures!

::: This past weekend we finally took the Bob stroller out onto the mountains and we all ran as a little squad. It was pretty freaking adorable and I know Joel has been looking forward to this day since I first told him I was pregnant. 

::: Leo is the happiest little baby when we are outside, which is the perfect excuse for patio happy hours and dinners outside! 

::: After taking a two week vacation from reality, I've felt 100% under water since I've gotten back. The days have not been long enough, and I feel like I've been running around with my head cut off. I let so much "stuff" pile up, and now I'm having to deal with that pile.

::: Hold me accountable to this, but I plan to go back to Chicago for 4-5 weeks this summer, and my goal will be to keep up with life while I'm there - unlike this last trip!

::: I finally found a lamp for our little play area and found a few fun pieces for the top of the book shelf. We hang out in this little corner all day,  so I've appreciated looking at the spruced up version!

::: I've gone one week 100% carb free. I'm leaving for Mexico in a few weeks and I'm not cheating until the day I land my feet in that country! Unfortunately, the scale still hasn't budged, I thought for sure I'd be down a few pounds....but, alas, nothing!

::: Which is why I will be rocking one pieces. I'm hoping a spray tan, and an expensive one piece bathing suit will perform miracles (or at least illusions of miracles) while I'm there.

::: We just started watching People vs. OJ on FX and both Joel and I are super into it. We're not big TV show people, but this one is hard to not binge.

::: Leo (and I) are going through a ton of transitions right now. As soon as you feel like you've got this parenting thing under control....things have to change. We started solid foods this past month, (which hasn't gone amazing), we're trying to drop his middle nap (which hasn't gone amazing), and we're going to stop breast feeding this Sunday, on his 7 month birthday (which is making me sad).

::: Leo also has really bad dry skin on his face that I can't seem to get rid of. We've tried a few OTC options, but it just doesn't want to let up. Any pro tips out there before I take him to the doctor next week?

Flying with a/my Baby

 

I had gotten all kinds of advice prior to our first trip flying with Leo. Some I took, and some I didn't, but overall, we had a seamless, easy, and dare I say fun time traveling together! 

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I'll also say that my first two plane rides with Leo, I was spoiled rotten. 

On the plane ride to Chicago, we planned the trip so that Leo and I could fly back with Joel's parents. Joel had to stay in LA to work, so the three of us and Leo tackled the first leg of the trip.

On the way there, I tried to line up his schedule so that he would nap while we were waiting for the plane, I would feed him on take-off, we would play for a while, and then he would nap until it was time to land in which I would feed him again. 

We boarded the plane nice and early, but Leo started to really lose his cool, so I had to start feeding him before we officially took off, which turned out to be no big deal.

 

It took him a while to fall asleep in my arms, so as I was walking the rows, a flight attendant checked in on me before they started their drink service so I wouldn't get stuck. I told her that I needed the time to get him to sleep anyways, and it would be a while before I made it back to my seat in row 13.

When I got back to my seat, with a sleeping baby, there were two bottles of champagne waiting for me....courtesy of the flight attendant. 

 

 I couldn't believe the adorable gesture - although, I actually could because the staff on Virgin America are like gifts from above - but I got to enjoy TWO mimosas, catch up on some TV, and snuggle my cute seat mate. 

 

Leo woke up with about an hour left in the flight, and it was amazing to be able to entertain him with the help of his grandparents. 

We landed right on time, got our bags easily, and crossed off a major first! 

 

 The way back I was solo, and I had picked up a few tricks from my first go around.

1. Bring as little as possible on the plane with you. (ie. you do not need 20 diapers, "justincase")

 

 

This time I was solo, so I knew my hand space was going to be limited. On the first flight I had brought a diaper bag, and my big LLbean tote, but this time, I paired down and just packed the essentials in my big tote. 

2. Wear him & keep him up!

 

I didn't know this, but you can wear your baby and your carrier through security. I had taken him off, and the hardest part of the day was getting him back on....so word to the wise! I also tried to keep him awake while we were waiting to board so that I could feed him and then he took take a long nap. 

3. Hope to GOD you sit next to an awesome person!

 

I got really lucky and flew first class home. I assumed that Leo would be the only baby in first class, and I was worried that a bunch of business travelers would be super pissed that Leo was going to ruin their flight, but as soon as I sat down, a young woman squealed that she was so excited to be getting to sit next to the baby!  Ha! She left her baby at home, so she was really understanding and helpful.

Leo took two short naps on the way to LA, so it wasn't as seamless as our trip to Chicago, but he was still pretty good.

And it was really, really nice to have extra leg room and walking room to bounce him around. 

 

4. Bring bottles!

Leo has recently started to take bottles with formula, and it turned out to be really, really nice while we were flying. I brought one bottle, lots of pre-scooped out formula in zip lock bags, and used bottle water that was provided on the flight. 

Of course - our trip wasn't without a few hiccups - (poop on clothes, phone left at security, frazzled looking mother....) - but I honestly kept a really calm, and go with the flow mindset, and I think that helped both Leo and I enjoy our trip.

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We have another Mom and Son flight coming up here in June so I'm hoping we have the same luck! 

Leo's Baptism

Besides being overdue for a visit back to Chicago, the main reason we flew home was to Baptize Leo. 

We decided to keep the baptism to family only - which was still almost 50 people - and just host a lunch at my parents house after the Baptism. 

 

 

 We asked my cousin Amanda to be Leo's godmother, and part of our families Godmother duties is to dress the baby the morning of the Baptism. 

Of course Leo's aunts all had a hand in helping prep in the prince.

 

We got him all fancied up, and then had to proceed with a mini-photoshoot before we could officially leave for the church.

 

 

Leo's Godfather is Joel's brother Jacob, and they were able to make it to the noon mass, before we met them there for the 1pm baptism.

 

 

I had mentioned to my family that we would be at the church at 1pm, and much to my surprise, a lot my aunts and uncles showed up at the church to root us on.

 

The ceremony was delayed in getting started (which is really annoying when you have 4 babies waiting with very short paitence windows), but we passed Leo around, stood for pictures, and then finally, got on our way!

   

 

Once the ceremony was started, it was actually really lovely. It was pretty special to have Leo baptized in Crystal Lake, because it happened to be at the same church that both Joel and I grew up in and received many sacraments from.

 

 

Once Leo was christened (no tears!) , the priest had the parents, God parents, Grandparents, and Great Grandparents come up and give the sign of the cross on Leo's forehead. It was a pretty incredibly moment.

 

Once the ceremony wrapped up, we raced home to get Leo to a much needed nap!
We served quiche, sandwiches, pasta salads and green salads and enjoyed champagne and cake. Once Leo was back up, I changed him into more comfortable clothes, passed him around to meet all of his family, and never pulled my phone out again the rest of the night.

It was a seriously beautiful day - a special day that Joel and I will never forget.