Sunday, June 28, 2015

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!! :)

18 comments:

  1. I am looking for a good red shirt for the 4'th as well! I don't have anyone to match, but that does not deter me one bit!

    Also, i need to know details about the canvas behind you with the music on it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I LOVE that Matt lets you all match. I can probably swing Sam and Garrison every now and then, but not all three of us. Ya'll are precious.

    ReplyDelete
  3. So... long-time-no-comment. But I'm still here lurking when I get a spare moment to myself. We like to change up the baby wearing gig and do a hip or back carry instead of always a front carry. It helps the ole back tremendously but there was a learning curve for us. Our Mr Chunkalicious was 27 elbees at his 1 year. Seriously. He's also 31 inches tall (so basically a 2 year old). And he's not walking yet, so mama is getting some use out of the carriers.

    I think I would keel over if I tried to carry him forward facing- even in a 360. There's just too much weight for him to throw around. And I also selfishly like the snuggles that come from having him face towards me- even on my back he can lay his head down. Swoon. Long story short, I recommend not forward facing her and trying out a back carry in your boba! Ohhh and have a blast on the vacation!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hadn't even thought about matching July 4th outfits for the girls! Adding that to my list this week. And super exciting about vacation. . . can the four of us just tag along???

    ReplyDelete
  5. It really is impressive that Matt is willing and happy to match with you! And it really is too bad you weren't born with a twin to match with you for the first 20+ years of your life...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yay for matching! I hope to see more pics. Glad that Millie loves the pool. Tell her I hate the pre-water part too ;)

    Hope you have a great vacay!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Have fun! Can't wait for tons of cute matching pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  8. She is just getting so darn big!! Also, we bought matching outfits for Clara & Avery to wear on the 4th, so it's safe to say we're doing our part!

    ReplyDelete
  9. You have a beautiful water baby!!! Have a great week and I hope it flies by so you can get to vacation time!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow 23 pounds? She's heavier than Paloma and we were told she is in the 96th percentile at her 1 year Dr visit. Go Millie!

    I love wearing Paloma on my back. It's so much more comfortable and I feel like I have my own space. You can put the regular ergo on your back.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love matching! Craig is a no go unless it's something special. I've been wanting a 360 as well, but its hard to justify it since we have a regular ergo and she does fine in it. (She's barely 18 lbs though)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I am so frustrated with Drew and her need to pick her own outfits. We are going to a 4th of July parade and had images of color-coordinated red and blue goodness for our family of 4 as I was shopping at Target and I bought Trent the cutest shirt and bought Drew nothing - because 9 times out of 10 she refuses to wear what I ask her to. She already has a few outfits that will fit the red-white-blue theme but chances are she will thwart my efforts at color-coordinated cuteness. Sigh.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Who loves all the pre pool stuff? I sure don't! Enchiladas sound so good right now. (:

    ReplyDelete
  14. Front carrying is tough. My guy does not have the enviable thighs and poundage of Miss Millie but he's working on it. Still, front carrying throws off my balance and is uncomfortable to me. My husband does it because H likes it so much but I'm just not that loving of a mom. Also, my back hurts. I love carrying him facing in and he's big enough now that he just looks to the side without getting buried in my chest. I'm working on back carries, too.
    We use the Lillebaby carrier and I'm obsessed. Look at the Airflow for your hot weather.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm so not a baby wearing expert... BUT my chunka-licious boy loves to face outward when he's in the carrier. He weighs a whopping 19 lbs. at 4 months. Yep, you read that correctly. In his defense, he's also 26 in. long. Big guy!! :) I've had good luck with the Beco Gemini. My guy can face outward, towards me, go on my back, or side. I also like that the carrier seat can be wide or narrow.

    ReplyDelete
  16. My girl is only 4 months old (5 months on July 9th) and she LOVES to face out so wearing her in a traditional carrier is the equivalent to her world ending (my collar bone must be extremely boring and turning your head to the side is for wimps). We got the Ergo 360 and while she's still a tad too small, the few times I've worn her it worked really well for both of us.

    -Maggie

    ReplyDelete
  17. I try to have Sam and Rachel match often, which is quite a feat :) However, I think our family did quite well on Canada Day (yay red and white!). Also, we still need to work on our team colours.

    Enjoy your beach vacation!!! We have no plans this weekend so I'm hoping for some good hang out time at the pool. Maybe I'll even get to read, but not on a float because I would be splashed by seven thousand kids in our tiny pool.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Have you ever tried a Tula carrier? They come in tons of fun prints and you can carry on the front or on your back.

    ReplyDelete

I love comments almost as much as I love Mexican food. Seriously.