TWO MONTHS WITH ASHER

July 21st, 2018

2 months today! What's been new with Asher, you ask? A lot. The stats: Asher weighs 12lbs 10oz (53rd percentile) and is 23.5" long (67th percentile). He's just a little above average. I have a feeling he'll always be my giant baby. He still has a head full of reddish hair and blue eyes. Asher recently began to wave his hands and kick his legs like crazy. I've been having him on his tummy to work those head muscles, but he's not too big of a fan of that. He also began to make cute cooing noises to the point where we have our own secret conversations now. I'm also speaking Spanish to him so later on we'll have an actual "secret" language we can use 😉. 

Asher's clingy and often a happy baby. One of the things he dislikes is his car seat. He loves movement so when the car is stopped he'll let it be known he's not happy. I've had to pull over, sit next to him, sing him his favorite song(s) and soothe him back to sleep MANY times. It can be frustrating, but I love that I'm the person that gets to comfort him.

Nursing has gotten a lot better. I'm so happy I enjoy it now. It was so painful that I dreaded it, but I pushed through and now I'm just used to it. It's my favorite thing because it forces me to s l o w down and enjoy that moment with Asher. He nurses like a champ. In fact, enjoys it maybe too much because he asks for it often! I'm happy we found our groove because I nurse him on demand and that works out great for us! I love watching him look up at me and every once in a while flashes that adorable smile at me. I received a necklace (picture above) from Made by Mary with Love that has "Asher" engraved on it and he loves playing with it. I think once I feel more confident in my breastfeeding journey I'll make a blog post about it what I learned, what I wish I would've known, what I would do differently, etc.

Postpartum depression hit me hard. I'm sad all the time. I have no motivation to do anything. It's making me more impulsive. I don't want to get too much into detail about it because it's not pretty. I know I share pretty pictures of our life, but believe me, those are just my highlight reel. I'm still a human and I struggle. I'm looking forward for that "light at the end of the tunnel". To be honest, I don't see it (yet), but I'm hopeful it's coming. 

We're both finding ways to make the best of this summer. We've had our fair share of lazy days AND going on adventures. We've gone boating, to the river, movies, and other fun places. However, I enjoy those lazy days more than anything.

Saving the best update for last...

ASHER SAID HIS FIRST WORD(S)! Yes, plural! He first said "no" and a few days later he said "mom". This can't be made up. Look at the video below for proof.

It blows my mind how fast time is flying by and I'm truly trying to make the best of every second. I love my boy very much! So grateful I'm his mama.

Thank you for reading, friends.

Sincerely,

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ONE MONTH WITH ASHER

October 23rd, 2018:
Well I certainly fell behind on the blog, didn't I? After giving birth I solely wanted to focus on my son, Asher, and adjust to the overwhelming, but incredible new role as his mother which is a major reason why I stopped posting on here. I have truly missed blogging, however it's not a top priority for me right now. Bear with me as I try to find the groove of this again. For those of you who read my blog frequently, thank you. Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you want to keep updated on when I publish a blog post, subscribe to my blog and you'll be notified via email! 

Now the next section was written June 20th, 2018 when Asher turned one month old. The next week or two I will play catch up by posting his monthly updates. Better late than never, right? 

June 20th, 2018:
I can't believe I'm typing this out. Asher turns one month today. The last four weeks with him have been incredible. It's a bit foggy because I'm running on very few hours of sleep and I feel like a crazy person since my hormones are out of whack, but I wouldn't change anything. 

"Mommy and son" photo-shoot. I love him so much!

I was interrupting his nap time. Sorry, Asher. This picture is still "picture-perfect".

These cuddles are everything. He perfectly fits on my chest. I never want him to outgrow this!

Asher is my giant baby. Throughout all my ultrasounds he measured weeks ahead and even as I was pushing him out I felt him kick my ribs. He weighs 9lbs and is 22" long. He wears 3 months clothing and newborn size diapers. Here soon he'll transition into size 1. He's above average in both weight and height which makes me feel so proud because I know I'm doing my job right! Asher has a head full of brown hair with a tint of red. I think with time it'll go more red. He also currently has dark blue eyes. Maybe they'll change to brown. We'll see.

Our nights are going well. I have my alarm set every 2 hours so I can nurse him. I plan on feeding him on demand in the future, but as of right now I need to wake him up so he can get all those yummy nutrients to grow! I can't fall into a deep sleep because I'm constantly waking up to check on his breathing. I hear that's pretty common for mom's to do. I honestly don't remember the last time I had full 8 hours of sleep. It may take years for me to get there, but hey, sure is worth it. 

I love the way he looks at me.

Oh, so tiny. My little love.

We spend our days either cuddling, nursing, or sleeping. Not much goes on when you have a newborn and I'm completely OK with that. Recovery can be hard and the hormones I experienced were even harder to deal with so simply doing nothing together has been the best. However, we did go on our first road-trip! A week after Asher was born we went to Seattle for my cousins wedding. He did SO good on the car ride since he slept the way there and back. There was a time we stopped at McDonald's and I decided to change his diaper. As I was getting the wipes I felt something wet on my hand and I look down at him and he's peeing all over the place which also got on his face. I felt so bad, but I also couldn't stop laughing! Next time I'll remember not to leave his diaper wide open #momfail. Definitely one of those "LOL" moments I never want to forget. 

My, oh my! How he's filling up.

My little chubster.

Things I never want to forget:

• The way he puckers his lips like he's about to make the "O" sound and moves his eyes back and forth around the room when he's doing #2.
• The way his jaw moves when he's nursing. And those little sounds he makes when he's nursing.
• He's a clingy baby and is only content if he's being held.
• He LOVES bath time. I think it's relaxing for him. 
• The fact that he'll start crying in his car seat when the car comes to a complete stop. He sure loves movement and noise!
• The way he looks at me. He knows my voice and I believe he knows I'm his Mami.

I don't feel like this blog post is giving Asher justice. However, I'm choosing to just briefly share those memorable moments along with my favorite photos throughout the month. 

I love him so much it hurts and I'm very blessed to be his mom. I'm looking forward to what milestones he hits this next month. Stay tuned!

Sincerely, 

Yessica Sarahi

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ASHER'S BIRTH STORY

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WHAT IS IN MY DIAPER BAG?! | VILAH BLOOM | (VIDEO)

One of the many things I was excited to get prepared for baby boy was his diaper bag. This is an entirely new world for me being a first-time mom so figuring out what I wanted and needed to pack was fun! What made this experience even cooler was collaborating with VILAH BLOOM where they sent me one of their own beautiful diaper bags! I am not disappointed with their product. I love that it does not look like your typical diaper bag but a nice, high-quality bag. They also have many different styles and colors to choose from which can be a blessing and a curse 😜. I specifically chose the SAIL AWAY SATCHEL in MIDNIGHT VOYAGE. 

Below I share a few of my favorite things that this bag includes and even further down a YouTube video where I go into more detail on how the bag is set up AND share what I have packed for my son during our hospital stay:

1. BIG AND ROOMY: For someone like me who loves to over-pack this bag works great because of its perfect size and many zipper/pocket compartments. Literally everything will have its own place!
2. BUILT-IN WIPE SYSTEM: I have nieces and nephews and completely understand how annoying it can be to carry a case of wipes. Plus there are days where you can forget them which is never good so the fact that you can personally install wipes and have them on-the-go is a total WIN!
3. CHANGING MAT: I no longer need to worry how or where I can change my baby! It is crazy how many places do not have changing tables these days so an attached (can come unattached, too) mat is GENIUS and super convenient. 
4. THREE CARRYING OPTIONS: I grew up never carrying purses so it was very important for me to find something that can let me be as hands-free as possible. When I found out I could carry this bag cross body . . . THAT is what sold me. Most bags do not even have more than one carry option so it is simply nice to know I can hand carry or do over-the-shoulder if I wanted to.
5. QUALITY: The bag is in incredible condition with its waterproof material which also makes it super easy to clean since I am sure there will be plenty of messes in the future. 

Overall I am OBSESSED with this bag. It is my style, completely useful, and has enough space for all the things I need (and do not need 🙈)!

Thank you so much Vilah Bloom for collaborating with me AND thank YOU, friends, for reading! Until next time.

*Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. I choose to only work with companies/brands I truly love. 

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Much love,

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7 THINGS — MAY

IT IS BABY MONTH!!!!!!!!!!

I never thought this month would arrive but now it is finally here and I could not be any happier. I still have a good few weeks to go but honestly you never know with babies since they decide to come in their own time so I am trying to be as patient as I can (and I am not doing so well lol).

Here are 7 THINGS I have randomly been up to as of lately:

1. This month will be quite busy! Right now I am helping my mom and brother plan my nephew, Leo's, 3rd birthday party. I made his invitation and am so excited to celebrate that crazy little boy with loved ones.
2. My grandparents recently returned to the states after spending some months in Mexico. I am so happy to have them back! They are here for two big events coming up: Asher's birth and my cousins wedding! My due date is 2 days before the wedding so I hope one does not clash with the other. I do not want to miss my best friends wedding!!!  
3. Something that I am extremely excited to receive in the mail is a personalized bracelet I ordered with Asher's initial and plan on wearing it right after he is born. I know myself way too well that if I wear it before I may lose or break it and do not want that to happen.
4. I have been thinking a lot where I want to go creatively online. Aside from my blog I want to begin to sell some things (does not relate to photography or editing) but I am still in the brainstorming stage. It is something I can see myself being passionate about so that alone is exciting. Cannot wait to share more details once things are set in stone.
5. This trimester I have been OBSESSED with eating mangoes from Costco. They are so, SO delicious and I currently do not have any so I am extremely sad typing this haha.
6. I made it a priority to go walking every day for 30 minutes. It is hard because my feet swell up in the first few minutes but it is nice to know I am up and moving. This weekend the Cinco de Mayo fair is in my town so it is the perfect time and place to go walking while consuming all the churros my body can take. Yuuuum!
7. I had a doctors appointment on Monday and I am 1cm dilated and 40% effaced which I was told is a great start! However this could mean absolutely nothing because I can stay like this for awhile. Seriously it is all just a waiting game and it is torture! Please come soon.

Thank you so much for reading, friends. Until next time!

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Much Love,

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