Over a week past his due date, and in a way that I least expected, our baby boy finally arrived on October 2nd at 9:35pm. Hayes Moon Mehlhoff.
After he was born, we went back and forth on his name while we were in the hospital…and when we left he still didn’t have a name. Despite the dirty looks from the discharge nurse.
But a few days later we decided that he looked like a Hayes (loosely named after a neighborhood in San Francisco that we love…plus we just liked the name). And his middle name, Moon, is to honor our dog, Luna (Luna means moon), who passed away last year and was a really important part of our family before this little guy came along. Here are a bunch of other names that were on our shortlist.
So far, he’s a pretty chill little guy. We’re still learning his quirks, like how he grunts and makes funny noises when he eats, how he very much hates having his diaper changed, how at least 50% of the time singing to him will stop his cries, etc, etc.
And we’re still adjusting to what life is like with a newborn, which is admittedly MUCH more difficult than I was expecting. But every day is a little better than the last and we’re getting to a good place now that he’s two weeks old and we have him on more of a schedule. That said, if you have any tips for how to get through the newborn phase, I’m all ears! Please share because Jeff and I are just winging it over here.
Also, wanted to mention… You won’t see a big change around here while I take a little bit more time to figure out the whole parenthood thing.
In terms of content, it will be business as usual. I have a bunch of things lined up and ready to share already – two new makeovers for the 12 rooms in 12 months series, a handful of fall recipes, decor DIYs, and some fun Halloween stuff. So be sure to check back in for all of that. And I’ll be popping in on Instagram as usual too.
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Now, that’s what called Perfection. Keep up!!
NipponHey, mama! Your call for suggestions rang out to me because I’m the mama of a not-quite 2-year-old and I very well remember breastfeeding and not sleeping a wink. It’s always a journey of highs and challenges as I’m learning.
First – you two must go so easy on yourselves! You are a goddess as you already grew and birthed a human! And your fella is pulling his weight, too. Hurray for both of you! Remember that the first year is the season for take-out, sweats & yoga pants, binge-watching shows, playing games, and calling friends and family to help.
Self-care is soooo hard to find minute for, but I found a lot of joy and relief in a hot shower, soaking my body in essential oils and epsom salt, and taking my babe for walks in the forest/beach. Oh, and a huge favorite mug of hot coffee or herbal tea. Bodies take awhile to heal, so as much love as you can give yourself – DO! Hint to everyone that a massage gift certificate would be a great Cmas gift.
Wardrobe – jeggings or stretchy jeans with a truly fantastic piece (leather jacket, wool cardigan, sailor’s peacoat…) will make you feel more put together, but still comfy as hell. Tank tops are so easy for breastfeeding and then you can sleep in your clothes, too. Am I right? And bright lipstick with sunglasses or a hat. Done.
I also highly recommend going out to eat and to the movies during the first five months. It becomes a lot more work to go once the baby is really alert and crawling. And also it is an easy way to get out of the house!
If you don’t have a friend gang or sibling with kids, then look for a crew. Try play meet-ups like indoor play centers, the library, mama yoga, etc. It is such a relief to be honest about the whole process with other parents. And watch female comedians talk about their experiences. If you’re having struggles that seem unbelievably hard, check out, “This Isn’t What I Expected.” An honest and fresh read.
Above all, know that you are doing your best. And those nights when babe won’t stop crying or you feel like you’ve lost parts of yourself, remember that. There will be plenty of sweet baby coos and laughs and incredible moments just around the bend.
Congratulations on your new love. Hugs
– Bb
bbcongratulations to you! hayes is darling. love his name – and love hayes valley. one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city. enjoy this special time. it is absolutely exhausting but also so fulfilling. xoxo
sara aHuge congrats! He is absolutely gorgeous!
It is hard! And we ALL just wing it the first time round. Some better than others. I was one of the “others”. I had really big babies (4,2kgs) despite my small build. I think this is why they didn’t sleep much during the day. But I did manage to get them both to sleep through the night very well, and had the nighttime routine “perfected” with my second…
I set a precedent from the start for nighttime behavior – that it’s not a time to play, chat and be awake. I kept things SUPER quiet and as dark as possible for nighttime feeds and diaper changes (after 7pm and before 6am). This meant no eye contact, no bouncing & playing & absolutely no talking or chatting, mostly ssshhh, ssshhh, ssshhh for any crying. I learned what her nighttime noises were when she started waking for a feed so that I could feed her without her really waking up at all. By this point, it made no sense to change her diaper if it was just wet (which wasn’t very much, using disposable diapers at that time). Hope that helps.
Above all, trust your own instincts and gut feel. You’ve got this!
Brenda Olwagen[…] for the last couple of weeks. I’m so excited to be able to dive back into a DIY or two, while Hayes […]
6 Weekend DIYs to Try - Paper and StitchCongratulations on the birth of Hayes Moon! What a beautiful name for a beautiful boy!
KarlijnYou’re a good mom and dad if you’re doing your best. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not.
X
When my son was born, I found out that sometimes when he was half-crying, showing discontent, wrapping him snugly in a blanket seemed to give him a sense of security.
BrendaCongratulations on the birth of Hayes Moon! I love his name. He’s a beautiful boy <3
Susan BaroneHe is adorable!!
CherylHe is beautiful and love the name, I’m originally from the bay area. Love that you included your fur baby’s name. Enjoy him while he is little, when he gets mobile your in a whole different ball game. Make sure your baby proofed now so when it happens your all set. Make sure you anchor your furniture to the walls. Mine tried to climb our dresser and it tipped over and was falling on him. I was there to help him but he remembers that day and he’s 18.
ValerieHe’s a beautiful little guy! Congratulations!!
LeanneCongratulations!!!
KathleenCongratulations! What a handsome baby boy.
My kiddos are 27 and 29 now. My first word of advice came to me from my mom with my first……
Remember, you control his life he does not control yours.
I know right now it doesn’t seem like it but you are in charge. 🙂 From getting a schedule set to making sure you get your rest too (its ok if the dishes don’t get done right away or you eat take out for a week solid…when the baby sleeps so do you for at least 2-4 weeks. Let a friend watch him while you nap….its ok)
My daughter was 2 weeks old when we took her to her first movie…..Field of Dreams. I needed out of the house and was breast feeding so….to this day I smirk because she loves going to the movies!
Secondly, remember this too shall pass. He won’t cry everytime he gets his diaper changed for the rest of his life. I promise! 😉
And 3rd, your marriage is the foundation to your parenting. Make sure to keep that foundation strong. (See #1 for advice on that!)
Janice HarrisonCongrats again and enjoy this wonderful gift from God!
Congratulations, he’s a beautiful baby and I love his name. The emotional roller coaster you’re on is normal. You and your husband will do fine. Think of it as an adventure. Something new every day!
SallyRight there with you Sandra. That’s exactly what we wanted to do as well..get to know him before deciding on a name. ♥️
BrittniI’m glad to hear that we weren’t the only ones to bring a child home from the hospital without a name! We thought we needed to get to know Larissa first…
SandraThank you Steph! It feels good to finally have a decision on his name. It almost feels crazy how long it took us to figure out. And even then, we still second guessed it a little. But his SSN card came in the mail the other day and seeing it written all official like that made me smile. I think we have a winner. 🤞
BrittniWow he’s beautiful! And i love his name!
StephThanks so much Summer! We’re doing our best to soak it all in… the good with the not so good. The not so good mainly being the lack of sleep. 🙂
BrittniHe’s beautiful. Congratulations! Thank you for sharing the pictures. Such an amazing experience, those first few weeks. Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!
SummerThanks Caroline! I love that one of him too. Makes me laugh.
BrittniWhat a sweet baby! I love the picture of him tossing deuces. He definitely has that “chill little dude” vibe about him.
carolinex0x0 Caro
http://thecarolove.com/
Think so, Rachel? I literally cannot tell at all if he looks more like me or Jeff. I’m so bad at that.
BrittniCongrats Brittni, he is SO precious!!! He already looks so much like you. 🙂
Rachel B.Can’t wait for you to meet him. 🙂
BrittniI just love him so so much!
Ashley RoseThanks so much Andrea. I think so too. 🙂
BrittniCongrats!! He is a beautiful baby!!
Andrea