What We Did Over Summer Vacation (2014 Lake)
Friday, October 10th, 2014It’s October, but that’s not going to stop me from posting these photos I took in August. Maybe I’ll have the Kiawah trip photos done by Christmas.
It’s October, but that’s not going to stop me from posting these photos I took in August. Maybe I’ll have the Kiawah trip photos done by Christmas.
It doesn’t matter that he’s my third baby, and I’ve already done this newborn thing twice before. It doesn’t matter if it’s 2am and I’m exhausted. It doesn’t matter if his tiny fingers are ripping all the hair out of the back of my neck. He’s an itty bitty miracle.
When I’m nursing him, the hairs right behind his ear gleam like they’re made of copper. It’s the only time I am really sure he’s going to be a ginger, since the fuzz that grows in a perfect imitation of his father’s hairline on top of his head is white-blond. When he’s sleeping he makes sniffling snorfling noises and says “mmmmm” and “oooooo” and “eh eh eh eh eh” when he’s having mysterious baby dreams. I can no longer sleep without those noises, or I wake up in a panic that he’s TOO quite or TOO sound asleep. I cover his chest with my palm and feel every rib at once as they move up and down with his breath.
His ears are like tiny monkey ears on the outside, covered in a light layer of fur, and seashells on the inside, pearly pink and smooth. I can’t stop touching them while he’s sleeping in my lap, because I know in just a few weeks poking him is going to wake him up. When I’m feeling stressed, I smooth the tiny M that Linc gets between his eyes or the lines on his forehead or the little creases he gets by his eyes. His baby skin is so soft, but so incredibly sensitive.
I first heard of Mustela a few months ago when I was photographing a newborn for a client, and I couldn’t stop smelling their baby. Then a friend suggested it when I mentioned Linc’s cradle cap was acting up. Now I’m the one recommending it to friends for all stages of motherhood. The 2-in-1 Hair & Body Wash is a tear-free, soap-free gel, specially formulated for the delicate skin of babies, but is great on the older kids too. It rinses very easily from Caroline’s hair and truly is tear-free, so there’s no more fighting when it’s time to wash it out.
But our real favorite is the Hydra Bébé Body Lotion. It’s so thick and smooth without being greasy, and absorbs very quickly even on just-washed baby skin. My hands are softer than they’ve been in years just from applying it to the kids. And I have been applying it to all the kids – on Caroline’s eczema-like rough patches, on the rash Evan gets from wiping is face on his sleeve, and on poor sensitive Linc, who gets a new case of baby acne or cradle cap or heat rash every day. They all love the lotion and you should see Linc smile when I’m rubbing it into his adorable chubby baby cheeks.
Mustela has been trusted by parents for over 60 years and is developing new ways to protect skin both today and in the future. All their products are hypoallergenic and free from parabens, phenoxyethanol, phthalates, EDTA and chlorphenesin. I feel good using their products on every inch of my little miracle for years to come.
You can learn more about their in-depth research, testing methods and science by visiting their website.
Mustela and BlogHer are giving you a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift card. Just leave a comment answering the question, “What is your favorite newborn moment?”
And don’t forget to check Mustela out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 10/7/14 – 11/30/14.
Be sure to visit the Mustela Bébé brand page where you can read other bloggers’ posts!
This week (the one we’re in, not the one in the photos) is International Babywearing Week. In the last 2 months I’ve been totally brainwashed by those sneaky babywearers, who got me with their pretty patterns and fabric geekery and adorable selfies. I promise I’ll take pictures of other stuff one of these days, but since THIS week is IBW, I can’t promise it will happen soon.
Sunday:
Monday:
He’s frowning because this is NOT the pool with the gorgeous view. He still loves the actual floaty.
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
It’s officially fall here in Connecticut, although I am resisting turning on the heat for at least a couple more days. It’s gorgeous and my photography is getting busy again and there are way too many fun things to do. We also got (what I’m calling tentative) confirmation we’re going to be staying in Connecticut for at least a little while longer, so I can just enjoy my friends and my life and not worry about starting over somewhere new. Although Hawaii is going to start looking pretty good when they come fill the oil tank.
I’m at the beach and never coming back.
Sunday:
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
Everything about Kiawah is nicer than regular places. This was just set up at the shopping center for pictures (I guess?)
Like I said, I’m at the beach. I’m never leaving. Although I did ignore my children and put down my mixed drink long enough to finish my nursery post, so if you want to see Linc’s nursery you can come back tomorrow. I won’t ever see it in person again though, because I’M NOT LEAVING THE BEACH.
This week was seriously insane. I tried to jump back in to work all at once and ended up really, really tired. Plus I think I pinched a nerve in my back. Also I have a weird lump under my armpit that is definitely not a plugged duct. I don’t think. Basically, I’m falling apart. But I got a new iPhone, so this week gets an A+ anyway.
Sunday:
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
My first picture with my new phone!!!! I was too excited to care that it wasn’t a very good picture.
Literally two people who read this will know what I mean, but doesn’t this dress pattern look just like my Tekhni Ceres but in black instead of green?
Saturday:
This weekend was rough. On Saturday I actually made the kids go back to bed and start the day over. They both napped for 2 hours and then we went to a festival, where everyone was well behaved and we had a nice time. Sunday was rough all over again. I like school days. Thank God the week is full of them.