matching outfits, broken backs

It's been a good weekend.

I needed a good weekend.

Next week we're going on vacation.

I need a vacation.

Today I finally got to spend a few hours relaxing in the pool with just my little family. Millie has definitely come to be the pool-loving baby I'd anticipated she would be. She's happy and splashy and quite in her element as we hold her in the shallow end or let her bounce on floats. Today she was so happy with Matt that I even took a little nap on my own float. Bliss.

Millie loves the water, but she still isn't a huge fan of all the things that have to happen before the water part. Swim diapers. Bathing suits. Sunscreen. I tried to explain that sometimes you have to suffer a little before you can get to the good stuff. I hope the lesson sinks in. Preferably before we get to the beach next week, ha.

Because I like to focus my mental energy on things that really matter, this weekend I spent an awful lot of time thinking about, planning, and shopping for our Fourth of July outfits. Ha. You know I love a good coordinated family outfit!! And July 4 is basically my favorite holiday. And it's Millie's first one. And we're going to be with my sister and her family, which means the babies will have a patriotic photo shoot!! Anyway, that was my weekend project. I'm almost done...just need to find a good red shirt for myself.

But we went ahead and coordinated ourselves today, too. No reason to wait for a holiday. My favorite thing is when people see us in OBVIOUSLY MATCHING outfits (like above, and picture Matt wearing another version of yellow and navy and stripes) and are like "oh wow! You guys match!! Did you know that??!"....ummm...yes.

Anyway, yellow and blue are our team colors, and our anniversary is this week, so we'll probably be doing it all week. There's nothing that I love more than my husband that loves being matchy-matchy with me!!

Yesterday Millie had a few hours where she felt like the world might end if I wasn't holding her. As it turned out, I actually needed to get a few things done, so we decided to try out our old friend the Baby K'tan. We normally use our Ergo and Boba Air these days, but they were both in the car (and therefore probably 12 feet away...perish the thought), so I grabbed what I had nearby.

 Let's just say...a 23 pounder in a K'tan is really something. Supposedly the K'tan is good for up to 35 pounds, but I just can't imagine the back strength a person would need in order to keep wearing a baby that heavy. I basically want to walk to the nearest hospital and sign myself up for spinal surgery today. DANG. THAT WAS HEAVY.

I do like having her forward-facing, though. I can't do it in any of my other carriers. Now I really want an Ergo 360...but I'm also wondering how comfortable I will be even in that. I just feel like when she's forward-facing, her weight is more obviously pulling away from me...compared to when she's facing inward. Maybe that doesn't make sense. It just seems like gravity is more intense, ha. So maybe I wouldn't really be able to handle her facing outward in any kind of contraption. In conclusion, if you have personal experience with a really heavy baby and an outward-facing carrier that didn't break your back and shoulders, please share your recommendations (or non-recommendations)! We still use our Ergo regularly and I have no complaints with it- I imagine we'll keep wearing her for quite a bit longer, so I'd just like to have more options for how she faces.

I know this is the most random post ever, but that's pretty much all I've got these days. I've learned- and I guess you've noticed- that I just don't have the time and/or mental energy to write a whole lot these days...so when I have 15 minutes where I'm waiting for the chicken to cook as I make enchiladas, and Millie and Matt are happily occupied in the other room, and I have a few pictures that make me smile and haven't already been shared on Instagram...well, I better grab it and do what I can, or it may be another week before the chance comes again.

But now my enchiladas are calling, so it's time to go! Have a wonderful week...good luck choosing the most patriotic and matchy-matchy outfits EVER for the Fourth!! :)