So, I decided at the very beginning of this year that I wanted to keep a dedicated blog! I wanted to journal, record key events about Aurora's day to day life, fun trips, recipes, life events, and everything else under the sun. And I just did not get there.

I have a baby to take care of, work to do, things to get done...and so things like the blog just get put on the back burner.

But, then I look back and think how much I wish I had captured more detail about the moments when they were happening. Especially for my Rori girl -- I want her to know how loved she is, how much she was a part of during her first year, and how much her parents and grandparents doted on and played with her.

So I'm going to recommit myself almost 7 months later to saying that I can do this and write every day.

Just...right after this work meeting. ;)

Here's a photo of my sweet girl while I was getting ready this morning:

Today has been a nice, quiet Sunday with Aurora. Lance and I have both been knocking some final things off of our to-do lists, and preparing for the changes as he returns to work tomorrow. After Aurora's birth, he had two full weeks of paternity leave, which was wonderful. Since then, he's been able to take some additional periods of leave and has had numerous half-day workdays, and it's been so great to have him home the amount he has been able. Tomorrow, he'll be back in his 12-hour work day pattern, and we'll really miss him.

Photos from today include walks with Stella, and naps with Aurora. I miss busy, social, pre-pandemic times, but I'm also thankful for little moments with the people (and dog) that I love that I get to cherish during these days. 

This is our set-up when we are on nursery duty (with our attempts at helping to increase Aurora's sleep schedule). Stella and I alternate between the bed set-up and the La-Z-boy chair. She doesn't know that she's not human too, and I love her loyalty to me and to Aurora.

Until tomorrow!,

Shannon

We're continuing to work on our little one's sleep journey. We've had a hard time getting her to sleep for very long stretches at all each night. After a few really terrible weeks (in terms of sleepless nights), we purchased a baby sleep "course" from TakingCara Babies, which has been a good starting reference for us. Some nights we've been able to implement tips to get one solid 4-5 hour stretch of sleep, and other nights...well, they've still been a challenge. I'm torn between wanting Rori to grow into patterns of better sleep, and wanting her to stay this age forever!

My husband took the evening shift with her (from about 10 pm - 3 am), and I was then with our daughter, Aurora (Rori) from 3 am through morning wakeup. Since her birth, I've had a morning routine of making a blueberry/banana smoothie, eating an Eggo waffle, and watching an episode of the Great British Bake Off. Definitely the simple pleasures, but something I'm sure I'll miss in the future when I return to work.

After our morning routine, we took Aurora and our dog Stella down for a walk at a park in Annapolis, Maryland. We walked four miles in total, and stopped about halfway for a homemade picnic of sandwiches and snacks. The afternoon was mostly quiet. Lance did some work around the home and I spent time with Rori. In the evening, I took my dog Stella to pick up some bathmats for our downstairs and basement bathrooms to continue decorating our new home.

In the future, I hope to organize this blog with posts tailored to my interests and experience: teaching, military life, buying and selling homes, life with a newborn, clothing, exercise, food, etc., etc. For now, in the busy busy moments of newborn life, adjusting to life in a new state/new home, and staring a new job, reflections on daily events may be about all I can manage! 

Here are a few photos from our trip to the park today, interspersed with photos from cuddle time with Rori!