five on friday

happy Friday friends!

it's been quite the week.
my little Dubs has come down with his first cold/tummy bug. yes both at the same time... he's handling it like a champ though, other than being super clingy, which doesn't bother me at all :)
so today we're home snuggling and listening to the rain (drizzling and 40 outside!) and i'm kicking off the weekend with some hot coffee (extra creamer, please!) and a little online perusing (shh, don't tell my hubby!).
so I figured I'd share a few things that have me doing a happy dance lately.
here we go!

o n e
no more smoke!

(*image from missoulian.com*)

for the past two months, Western Montana has been engulfed by smoke due to wildfires raging all over the state.
well, last weekend, we FINALLY got a downpour of rain and within days, it was like we could breathe for the first time.
crisp air. lower temps. clear mountain views.
yes, Fall has arrived and it seems like the whole valley is rejoicing.

t w o 
the perfect nursing bralette

I've only held the title of nursing mama for a little over three months now, but I think I can speak for all the others out there when I say that finding a comfortable nursing bra that is also pretty and makes you feel feminine is not an easy task.
well, until now at least.
I discovered the most comfortable and beautiful nursing bralette ever. plus it fits like a glove.
oh, and better yet, it's not really a nursing bra.
that's right. there are no clasps, just a deep plunge neckline that makes it super easy to pull down for nursing, without stretching out the fabric.
which basically means it's the perfect bralette for every woman, nursing or not.
one in every color please!

t h r e e
living proof dry shampoo

i've tried a lot of dry shampoo in my day, but this stuff far outweighs its competitors. a little goes a long way and it actually smells good! definitely a winner!

f o u r
Kelsea Ballerini

this girl amazes me. every single she's released for her second album has been on fire.
her voice. the lyrics. her style.
all of it.
her sound is unique and her passion is real.
love seeing women in the music industry that are truly talented making a name for themselves.
can't wait for her album to drop.

f i v e
a new season.

this one is a bit bittersweet for me.
the smokey weather that we've had the majority of Summer has put a bit of a sour taste in my mouth and I'm ready to move on to the next phase.
even though wintertime in Montana can be harsh and long, I'm ready to pull out the coats/hats/gloves and get bundled up!
however, saying goodbye to Summer means saying goodbye to the season my baby was born in and that's a little harder to swallow than I thought it would be.
as much as I love watching him grow + learn, it's hard to think about how fast time is already flying by and I wish I could just freeze our life for a second and soak in this newborn stage a bit longer.
but time is a thief and as parents we have to learn to stay as present as possible.
doing my very best to not live with regrets and give my babe all the extra cuddles he wants.
even if that means being a total zombie.
who needs sleep anyway?



that's it, folks! we've got a whole lotta nothin planned all weekend and that's just how we like it around here ;) happy weekending!

words for my baby | workin' mama

I wasn't sure if I wanted to post this because it's such a normal thing that so many women go through, and I shouldn't dwell on it.

but then I thought about the amazing community of mama's I have here and how much great advice/encouragement I've gotten in the past and decided to share my thoughts. 

because we're here to lift each other up when we're feeling down and build each other up when the mom guilt hits us hard.

so, in short...

about a month ago, I started back at work (after 12 weeks of maternity leave) and my heart has been a bit broken ever since. 

don't get me wrong, I am very thankful to have a great job that allows me to provide for my family and give my child nice things, vacations, and someday soon our dream home, but it also breaks my heart to have to leave him, even if it is only part time. 

I know staying at home also comes with its own set of challenges and being a stay at home (or work from home) mama is not for the faint of heart, but I loved it. 

I've dreamed of being a SAHM since I was a little girl. 

as I got older, I prayed for it.

and I still hope that someday it will happen.
but for now, I'm thanking the Lord for all the incredible things He's given me and doing my best not to long for what I can't have.

I hope that if your family is lucky enough to have one parent stay at home with your kiddies, you know how blessed you are. don't take it for granted and kiss those sweet cheeks all day long just because you can...

Wilder Ray, I know this is only going to make our relationship stronger and I hope you know I'm doing it all for you, babe. 

and the backyard I'm going to watch you run around in.

and those expensive fishing poles I know you're going to ask for someday.
and that amazing college I know you'll get into. 

I love you to the moon and back sweet boy and I'm going to be wishing I was with you always.

one year married

five years together.
one year married. 

it's hard to believe it's been an entire year already since this magical day.
so much has happened and yet it feels like yesterday. 
I without a doubt love this man more today than I did a year ago.
marriage isn't easy, but loving this guy is.

I’m not kidding when I say that I literally fell in love with this guy after the first date.

it may not have been until two years later that we actually verbalized that feeling to each other,

but he was more than worth the wait.

we had a lot of ups + downs, trust issues, growing up, and selfishness to overcome before we were ready for the real deal but in my deepest heart of hearts,

I always knew it was him.

three months ago, we experienced our love come to my life through the eyes of our baby boy, and I can easily say I love him a million times more today than I did just a year ago.

how that’s possible, I’m not exactly sure, but God sure is great like that.

here’s to settling down, starting a family, putting down roots, and the rest of this crazy ride babe.

couldn’t imagine doing this life with anyone but YOU.

photography by the amazing // k. elliott photography

Wilder Ray | three months

somehow, our little guy is THREE MONTHS and I'm not sure where the past month has gone.

pants // bandana bib

we've officially made it through the fourth trimester and I don't get it at all because

he was just born yesterday!
seriously though, where have the past three months gone.
time really is a thief, so I'm doing my very best to soak up every sweet second of this boy.
he is pure sugar. 

Wilder Ray at Three Months

weight :: 13 lbs 

(birth :: 6 lbs 11 oz)

length :: 25 inches

(birth :: 21 inches)

Wilder is growing so fast. he just keeps getting taller and is starting to really pack on the chunk.

all the baby rolls please!

0-3 mo clothes are starting to get snug in the length, so I've been snatching up 3-6 mo finds here and there, but am not quite ready to make the switch.


e a t

we are still breastfeeding and every feeding I get with him is my favorite time of the day. blame it on the last bit of PPD emotions lingering, but I can't get enough of that sweet time with him.

a few weeks ago, I started back at work part time, so I pump twice a day when I'm away from him and Wilder now gets two bottles. one around 10:30am and another around 2:30pm.
I come home on my hour lunch to feed him, which has made the transition back to work doable.
I'm only away from him for three hours at a time, and even though it will never be easy, it's the best thing for our family right now.
(but that's another post for another time!)

side note:
transitioning to the bottle has not been easy. my amazing MIL has been watching him and doing an incredible job, but Wilder will only drink a few ounces out of the bottle.
pretty much just enough to hold him over until I come home.
which means he's on the boob all evening long...
he seems to be doing a bit better every day though, so I'm praying it will get easier.
however, all advice welcome!


s l e e p

swaddle

little guy's sleep schedule is starting to smooth out.
it's still touch and go, and some nights are better than others, buuuut he usually will sleep for at least 5 hours in the first stretch and wake up every 2 hours after that. sleeping from 9pm to 6am.
but don't be fooled, there are still nights he wakes up every hour and a half as well, but thankfully those nights are becoming more few and far between.
he's dropped down to just three naps during the day and they typically last an hour or so.


p l a y // d e v e l o p m e n t

so much has happened in the last month and our little man is learning new things every day.

• he is starting to open up his hands and grab for toys/rings
• he holds onto his blankie and brings it up to his face when he's self soothing or sleeping
• he will not take the super cute eco friendly pacifier I kept forcing on him and will only take the WubbaNub... (insert eye roll)
• he tries, but still hasn't figured out how to suck his thumb
• he can roll from his tummy to his back
• he lifts his legs up in the air and is so close to grabbing his toes
• he is smiling SO MUCH and it's my favorite. thing. ever. 

Wilder Ray, this month has been my favorite to date, but I know I'm going to say that about the next one! we love you so much sweet boy and can't wait to see how much you grow in the next 31 days! 

t h r e e   m o n t h   p h o t o   d u m p

xoxo