Making Calls

amberknecht — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 23:03:50 +0000

She’s got some important calls to make.

And…yes…this is the second post in a row in which Eloise has food on her face. The child enjoys her food.

Halloween

amberknecht — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:00:49 +0000

We enjoyed a very laid back Halloween this year. Eloise was Sue Sylvester from “Glee.” She was very confused as to why everyone was dressed all weird – especially her Dada.

First, we had dinner at home. And yes, that is mac-n-cheese on her face. We keep is classy.

Making a run for it with Mike’s wallet and keys. The good news is she walks on her knees, so she’s pretty easy to catch.

Posing with her Dada.

Happy Birthday, Evan!

amberknecht — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 23:42:48 +0000

Just a quick picture of my super-cute nephew, Evan. We celebrated his birthday a few weeks ago. His eyes are awesome.

Eloise Loves Cake

amberknecht — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 02:38:36 +0000

Eloise turned one on July 1st. We had not one, but two parties. This means double the cake. She really, really, really enjoyed the cake. She is so my daughter.

The husband took this photo.

And this one.

This one, too.

This one's mine.

Mister J_Sneak Peek

amberknecht — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 02:20:29 +0000

J is one! I’ve been so lucky to photograph him this past year. He is so much fun and I’ve enjoyed every session. Thank you so much ‘P’ family! You are awesome!

Mister J was so done at this point. This is his version of a meltdown.

The ‘P’ Family_Sneak Peek

amberknecht — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 02:02:15 +0000

I had so much fun with this family! We’ve been trying to schedule a session for months (literally) and finally the stars and moons aligned. Momma P nailed their outfits. I loved the color combination. And Miss I…so totally adorable. She’s going to be a big sister soon and I cannot wait to meet the newest addition to this amazing family. Thank you so much ‘P’ family! You were truly wonderful.

I’m running because…

amberknecht — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 02:39:22 +0000

I want to be healthy. To feel good about myself.

I want to be active and fit. And to be able to walk up the stairs without losing my breath.

I want to look good, not for someone who’s had a baby, but for someone who just does.

Mainly, I’m doing this because I want to set an example for her. Not to be a certain size or number, but to feel confident and comfortable in my own skin and to show her that being beautiful is about so much more than how you look on the outside. That it’s about how you feel and who you are on the inside.

I want to be the best version of myself. For her. For the husband. For me.

Sneak Peek_Miss L

amberknecht — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 02:29:33 +0000

This is Miss L. She was so not a fan of me. I didn’t take it personally. We tried on a Saturday downtown and she was not feeling it at all. So, we met up again the next day at home. The minute she saw me, she burst into tears. Eventually, she decided I was okay and we had at least a little bit of fun. Her mom was super sweet and so apologetic and worried. See mom…I told you it would work out. This whole family has a great vibe. I loved hanging out with them.

Favorite Things – Baby Edition

amberknecht — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 20:28:05 +0000

When I was pregnant with Eloise, I scoured the internet looking for anything I could find from real moms on what products/gear they used for their babies. I wanted to hear from moms actually using the stuff on a day-to-day basis. This information was so helpful. There is a ton of baby-related stuff out there and, in order to sell it, the sellers have to make you think you need it. The truth is, you don’t.

In the months and weeks leading up to Eloise’s due date, I was worried about getting all of the various gadgets I thought we needed. Then, I had an epiphany. I realized, as long as we had a car seat (so we could bring her home), a place for her to sleep, some diapers, something for her to eat (whether breast milk or formula) and a few articles of clothing, we would be fine. Naturally, we had much more than that, but those are the necessities.

Another important point – not all babies like the same things. For instance, Eloise hated the swing – at least the one at our house. There are hundreds – if not thousands – of babies that love their swings. They will enjoy them for many blissful minutes, freeing up their parents to do things like eat and go to the bathroom. Eloise was not this baby. She was also very particular about her bottles. She likes to eat at ‘mom’s place’ as her pediatrician says. We went through five or so different kinds of bottles. The ones that finally worked? Good old Playtex Ventaire. Nothing fancy. I can get three for the cost of one of the new ‘must have’ bottles.

I guess, I’m just trying to say, you will figure out what is best for you and your baby. We didn’t have to have any of these items, but they made life a little easier for us. And again, these are just my opinions and what Eloise liked. I’m not getting paid for these opinions (alas-the extra cash would be nice).

1. Halo Sleepsack Swaddle: Eloise slept in this thing every night for the first threeish months of her life (after we brought her home and her jaundice went away). She loved being swaddled. It kept her nice and snug and she couldn’t break out of it. However, some babies hate being swaddled. If you baby is not a hater, I recommend this. Four thumbs up (two from me and two from Eloise).

2. Blankets: I am obsessed with baby blankets. We have way more than we need. These, are my favorite. They are a great size (bigger than your standard receiving blanket) and are great for swaddling, covering up when nursing and laying on the floor for tummy time (which Eloise hated, by the way). These particular ones are from Target, but they are made by Carter’s, so you can find them at Kohl’s, Carter’s, a lot of places.

3. Boppy: I still use this when nursing Eloise and she is approaching seven months old. It helps me get her in a good position. And, now that she is heavier, it gives my arms a break. There are other brands, but this is the one we used. I would also suggest getting more than one cover. Babies are messy eaters.

4. Bouncer: While Eloise hated her swing, she enjoys the bouncy seat. She still sits in it in the morning and plays with the toys that hang down. I should probably check the weight limit. She’s probably too heavy for it. Sigh…we will miss this one.

5. Cloth Diapers: We are a disposable diaper family, but these are the only things we use for burp rags. They are super-duper absorbent (makes sense since they are diapers). As a bonus, when we’re done using them as burp rags, they also make awesome dust rags.

6. Jumperoo: Eloise pink-puffy-heart loves this thing. We inherited it from some friends (thanks, Heidi and Brent!) and it is the best.thing.ever. Eloise loves to jump. Sometimes, she literally jumps out of her socks. Then, Lola steals them and gets them all slobbery.

Chewie

amberknecht — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 22:54:23 +0000

When I was pregnant with Eloise, we called her Chewie. This started shortly after I found out I was pregnant and well before we knew she was a girl. Even after we had decided on her name, she was still Chewie. We joked that she should be Chewbecca instead of Chewbacca. Mike is a huge Star Wars fan (as you may have guessed) and so he managed to find this super-cute t-shirt for our little Chewie.