// 20 months //

Age: 
what?! 20 months! noooo....too fast, slow down!!

Stats: 

30 lbs.,

Activities:
cooking, both in his little kitchen and in ours; reading tons of books before bedtime, riding his bike, playing with cars and making them go "vroom," pointing out trucks, helicopters, airplanes, trash trucks, playing with his cousin and friends, accessorizing, pointing at things and saying their name, calling people on the phone, including FaceTiming.

Moods: 
The last weekend of your 19th month was so amazing. We watched you grow and mature. A lot less tantrums (knock on wood- I literally just did), and more independent play. A lot more snuggles and loves. Our crazy little piece of Heaven.

Sleep: 
Absolutely the same as last month. There have been a couple of times this month where he has woken up crying and instead of helping him back to sleep, I have just brought him into bed with me. It is a completely new experience for me to have him cuddle with me without asking to nurse. It is amazing. He asked only one time and I distracted him and he has not asked since.

                                                                      New Words: 

Still repeating everything and we are loving it!

We took a 3.5 minute video asking him to repeat every word and name we could think of. His little voice is the best sound in the world- besides his laughing! 

Favorite Foods: 

Whatever he decides for that day! Some days he is super picky, while others he is a bottomless pit! 

We went out to eat and there was raw onions on the condiments section--this boy started eating them happily! Um..

Nursing: 

22 days of no nursing!

Still can't believe it. 

I miss it but I am so proud of us!

Favorite Things: 

Same as last months: Still obsessed with all things kitchen, all things with motors, going on our nightly sunset "by ry" (bike ride), jumping (funniest thing ever), working out (this kid can lift weights my client's use!), eating, the pool, bubbles, music and books. 

Signature Moves: 

This month it's his surprised and excited face! Oh man, I have to get it on video. Geoff came home with a box of pizza the other night, and this baby boy, ran to him with his arms up, his mouth shaped in the most perfect oval, and he gasped! "Bi-sa!!!!!!!" Then he threw back his head and laughed and started jumping up and down! He does the same thing for anything he loves- oh, a truck! cue excitement!

Also, saying that things "Stink" and you need to throw them to the trash- because he is beyond obsessed with the trash!

He loves to give Honey Munster kisses and hugs. But he equally loves to tell her no and shake his little chubby finger at her. We have now changed our language with Honey to say "no, thank you" instead! haha! He also love giving her treats for tricks haha!

Mommy's Proudest Moment: 

Ah. So remember that he repeats everything?! Well, I needed that reminder. He was eating something weird, like raw onions. I made a face and said "gross," without realizing it and within seconds it became Oliver's favorite thing to say for the evening! ooops!

Daddy's Proudest Moment:  

Geoff decided it was a great idea to play catch with Oliver. He had him stand in the middle of his tub during the bubble bath. Of course, Oliver slipped and fell. And of course, Geoff didn't think anything of it! Ay. 

This Month's Highlights:

- Mommy and Daddy left you for a weekend so we could go to Titi Isa and Nino Jake's wedding! You did so great! We were so proud of you (and ourselves). 

-You became obsessed with tattoos (temporary ones) and want one on all the time!

-We celebrated both Daddy and Mommy's birthdays and you did an amazing job at blowing out the candles each time!

- You received your own little kitchen and became obsessed with playing with it daily. 

- Daddy went on a business trip and you spend a week with just Mommy. It was tiring but great to have that time together. 

- Mommy and you had a photoshoot!

- We went on lots of walks with Auntie Bre to help her get ready for having Baby Duke!

- We learned that you can make yourself cry with real tears and everything!

- PetSmart became a favorite place for you! You love looking at all the different animals!

- You met Baby Duke and it became official that you are in love with babies and want one of your own! 

- You took a picture of Mommy and learned to take selfies! haha!

- You helped make our first batch of pumpkin pancakes! 

- We went to Target and you chose a hot pink pumpkin! How could we resist buying it for you!?

- You had playdates with your cousin, Karston!

// the LB brand: the revamped mom uniform //

you know when you find a brand that you absolutely love and can't live without? little boogaweezin, aka, the lb brand, is one of those company's for me. i still vividly remember when oliver was first born and i was up nursing him in the middle of the night. i would busy myself on instagram, finding inspiration and motivation to continue nursing from other mamas. i ran into jen's rad company and "milk drunk" baby tees. it was an absolute must-have for us! i decided that if i made it x amount of months nursing, the baby tee would be purchased! and so it began, over the seasons, we have continue to be strong supporters. Oliver has outgrown a couple of milk drunk onesies and tees, while i have rocked some mamawear, as well. when the opportunity to work with the lb brand (the mama portion of this amazing company) arose, i was so ecstatic. i was able to preview this amazing tee before it's grand launch on sept. 15th (my birthday)! 

The full blog post can be found on HERE on the Lb brand's blog. You can shop the entire collection that is beyond, HERE! 

Thank you Jen, for this amazing and humbling opportunity!

THE REVAMPED MOM UNIFORM :: 

Jeanette Canela Montgomery

Name: J (Jeanette Canela Montgomery)  Age: three decades in and still in denial!  Location: currently, southwest corner of the A to the Z  # of babes: my one miracle bebe, #odcm

How would you best describe your style?

Constantly evolving. I love steeze & expressing myself through my style. I went through an entire year of only wearing 80s gear; then I went through another year of only wearing items I had personally made or re-created. In the last two years, I never once repeated an outfit at work- just as a challenge to myself. Since then, I have donated and sold 3/4ths of my closet and love the simplicity of creating outfits. A simple base can so easily be elevated by simply accessorizing!

Fashion icons?

Gwen Stefani. I fell in love with her style in seventh grade and have been inspired by her tenacity for change yet her raw sense of self; she always stays true to herself. I once had the opportunity to meet her and my little fangirl heart was so happy because she was as beautiful and sweet in person as I had always imagined!

Brigitte Bardot or Kate Moss?

Goodness, what beauties! If I absolutely had to choose, I would go with my gut, which is BB. I dig a Bardot neckline and am a supporter of women who go against the grain- especially in times when it was not the norm.

What made you choose the LB piece your currently styling?

I am an avid fan of the LB Brand. Choosing was a tedious decision! I love them all! It really came down to an blind pick in order to make my final choice in a timely manner, haha! I love the fit of this PLM tee. I am so comfortable in black, and the cut is so versatile. It can be worn loose or side-knotted for a tighter look. The material is so delicious- it feels like butter on my skin! It makes me feel fierce with its powerful message. Roar.

Top 2 picks from LB’s BLK&WHT collection?

I am a huge fan of black and white, in general. Most of my house is black & white (& gold, of course), and it transcends into my wardrobe, as well. But I tend to shy away from white tees. However, I am so attracted to the Protector//Lover//Mother White V-Neck. There is something so alluring about a white tee on demin that can be casual or easily dressed up, that I love! I am also obsessed with the genius that is the black hoodie with the thumbholes! I mean, seriously! So rad, on-point and heart-eyes-forever!

A few ways you keep yourself feeling good as a mama?

A am a CPT (Certified Personal Trainer) on the side and working out is my jam! Not primarily for aesthetics, though. Nothing makes me feel more in tune with myself, as meeting my own fitness goals; nothing makes me feel like more of a badass than crushing a workout, lifting heavy and getting my glisten on! It is extremely therapeutic to me (I am also a counselor, haha), and need this time I set for myself to just be me. It is the only 30 minutes of my day that are solely mine- you know, when my baby boy doesn’t wake up in the middle of it, ready to start his day! I also love recreating indulgent treats into healthy, delicious foods, as well. Not that I don’t enjoy my pizza, cheeseburgers and froyo, though! haha! Lastly, a solid support system to validate the many days I doubt myself as a mama, is extremely important to me. Whether it’s my BFFs, my husband, family, the besitos from my toddler, or the amazing IG community, feeling connected and understood are invaluable assets to mi vida loca.

What are some things that inspire you when putting together a days look?

The season, weather and my mood; although I don’t follow any pre-established rules (fashion faux-pas are not my jam) and am pretty low-maintenance! I love mixing and matching timeless pieces with simple + frugal finds! I am also inspired by accessories, which I believe are key to my every day look- whether it’s any combination of a hat, headband, flower, earrings, [statement] necklace, scarf, belt, arm candy, rings, heels, sandals, or sneakers…it all comes together to complete one look! Oh, and of course, a bold lip!

Any tips for mamas juggling the demands of motherhood with the desire to still be stylish?

Keep it simple, keep it comfortable and stay true to yourself. When in doubt, wear what makes sense to you and simultaneously makes you look & feel good! Mamahood is hard and unpredictable. At least feel and look confident doing it! It’s like when I was in my undergrad: my roommate taught me to always dress up to finals- even when everyone else was dragging themselves across campus in their pjs from their all-nighter- you may fail your test, but at least you look good (& hence, feel good) doing so! Ultimately, we are all mamas doing this mamahood thing together- so when there’s your bebe’s oatmeal on your favorite tee, rock the ish out of it!

old me vs. new me

amidst the diaper changes, tantrum-soothing, besitos-giving, "am i doing this right?" doubt, there lies the old me. the pre-baby me. the me that swore i never would do this or that. that would never be that parent. i laugh at myself now, because i am a walking contradiction of everything i never thought i'd be. i didn't fantasize about white weddings, a suburban lifestyle and a party of three. but here i am and more times than not, it is difficult to even remember what life was like 19 months ago. has it really only been less than two years? perhaps it's the constant sleep deprivation, the need to not f up, even when i realize on the spot that i am, but old "me," seems so distant and faraway. how ever did i stay up all night and out-drink any grown man? how ever did i party so hard every day of the weekend? how ever was i the social butterfly that was in love with joining groups of friends, so we could be friends, and do it every weekend? [circa puff daddy reference, anyone]? [which again, reminds me of that time in vegas when i got to party with him #truestory]!

the old me who would loudly cheer across the bar to my boyfriend [now husband] that she just saved him money by having the guy next to her buy her a drink....well, that girl is now replaced by this version of me that rarely touches anything but water. whose life revolves around toddler style, themed foods, and minimizing toys in my living room [yes, that is a basketball hoop by the couch, thank you very much]. remember the nevers i used to proudly say?...yeah, f that. sippy cups that last through tantrums, mama playdates, and balancing my career are my new jam.

but this week i have had three instances where i felt like old me. and it felt f'ing fantastic.

two of them including cuddling my baby boy and him not asking to nurse- in the 19 months of his life, i had never experienced that, unless he had fallen asleep on me after nursing and i had managed to get him unlatched without waking. 

our sleeping beauty

the third was my husband's birthday weekend. i should point out that on his actual birthday evening we were reunited after he was away on business all week. we went out to dinner with his family and we all came home for ice cream cake. well, oliver's new kitchen [you know, to match the rad decor in my living room] came in and we spent the next three hours building that cute thing. to think that a birthday landing on a friday night would typically excite us and we would plan a weekend of celebration and debauchery around it...and here we were. not even having a glass of wine!

we're so pro, it only took us three hours.

However, the next night, we went over to our loves' homes. the couple who always joined us out on our past lives. together, we all laughed, sipped on non-water [actually, we all kept multiple water bottles by our sides, at all times], and had one of the best nights eeever. and it felt like old me. but different. because now new me, although not as cool or wild, more boring and reserved, confused and doubtful, is also pretty rad. i do love my life. i love the tight knit, circle of friends that understand and partake in new forms of debauchery. the type of friends who rush through conversations as we are parting in order to make sure we laugh in person, yet hurry back home before we all become pumpkins. which we did. so next time, we start earlier. because these evenings, oh these evenings, are more than meant to be had. so worth it. so needed. so fun.

what do you miss? what do you look forward to?

// 19 months //

Age: 19 whole baby months and officially, I can admit, into toddlerhood!

Stats: Last month, Oliver was at almost 33 inches tall and almost 29 lbs! I need to measure and weigh him today!

Activities: baby boy loves his bike- he loves poppin' wheelies like he knows exactly what he is doing. It's so cute to watch him go over any cracks by poppin' a wheelie. He loves books, especially right before bedtime. He crawls into his teepee, gives Honey Munster cuddles and reads books. He will ask us to turn on his teepee lights, and read "buuk" after "buuk." All of course, in a desperate measure to prolong bedtime as long as possible! It's been so sweet to observe him pick up his toy cars and make them vroom along paths he creates. These paths are not limited to our bodies! ;)

Moods: Happy, energetic, wild, full of tantrums and rough!
I don't know if we are trying to tame him too much, if this is a phase, or just him!
ah, parenthood! This toddler totally is good about staying in his time-outs though!

Sleep: No major changes here. He knows when it's time to go to sleep and doesn't fight it too much. We are to the point where I lay him in his crib every night (most nights he fusses or cries for a bit), I hold his hand, sing "twinkle, twinkle, little star," or read an extra book until he falls asleep. He does wake up often asking for agua (water), and I am concerned he is becoming dependent on water throughout the night, since we are officially wean(ing). He has been finally looking for his lovies (blankies) which I think is the cutest thing. 

New Words: 

-this baby boy can repeat pretty much anything!

Our favorite thing to hear him say is "no" because he says it in such a cute voice.

I'll have to record it! It's funny because Geoff feared him learning "no" and using it against us. 

But instead, it's so sweet!

Favorite Foods: My baby boy is becoming picky! He seriously will choose one food and only want that! He loves bread, pizza (grandma has taken him to chuck e. cheese a couple of times and he now asks for it- wah), broccoli, cheese, pancakes, yogurt, cottage cheese, and any berries!

Nursing: See this post!

The last time I nursed him was on September 1st- we made it to 19 months. 

I think I am done....Ah!

Favorite Things: Still obsessed with all things kitchen, all things with motors, going on our nightly sunset "by ry" (bike ride), jumping (funniest thing ever), working out (this kid can lift weights my client's use!), eating, the pool, bubbles, music and books. 

Signature Moves: jumping! oh man, the cutest and funniest thing EVER!

Mommy's Proudest Moment: 

Daddy's Proudest Moment:  

This Month's Highlights:

- we nursed all the way to 19 months!

- we celebrated Natalia's 3rd birthday at the pool and you were so funny! You posed for cupcakes and wouldn't go into the water by yourself- butthead!

- you began sleeping with your lovie and asking for agua every night!

- you continue to use the potty. Still not potty trained, but definitely headed that way. 

- you love putting on mama's heels and strutting your stuff

- you had a playdate with Asher, your baby bff, and for the first time, you were so obsessed with loving on him. you wanted him to play with all your things and you wanted to hold, hug, and kiss him. so sweet!

- you became obsessed with sunset bike rides- every night!

- you stayed with daddy overnight while mama went to celebrate Titi Is.

- you had two all day playdates at Grandma's! 

- you worked out constantly, haha! 

-You got so sick, baby. A viral throat infection. With mouth sores and a high fever. You wanted to eat but it hurt your little mouth so much. You would walk me to the fridge and ask for food but when you would take the first bite, you would gently place your hand near (but not on) your mouth and whimper, "nononononono!" Seriously, one of the saddest experiences! It took 4-5 days for you to recover completely. Thank God you did! Such a trooper, as always!

// mamahood: world breastfeeding week //

Today concludes world breastfeeding week! I am amazed at the fact that this is the second week of its kind that I have been proud to celebrate. I have been wanting to write about our breastfeeding journey and this seems like the appropriate time, as we are currently and officially weaning at 18 months.

Our nursing journey has been one of the biggest rollercoasters as a mama and woman I have ever embarked upon. I knew from the moment I was pregnant that I wanted to breastfeed, primarily and solely because I had done so much research on how beneficial it would be for our baby. It helps decrease the chances of diabetes and cancer, among other risk diminutives, both of which my husband has or has had. If I can do anything to decrease my baby's risk of attaining or developing either (or other) diseases, you bet your ass, I am going to.

My midwife and nurses knew that I wanted nothing to do with bottles, pacifiers of formula and I didn't want any pain meds or interventions all with the primary purpose to be able to nurse as soon as our baby wanted to. I even requested for him not to get cleaned up right away so that I could have some skin-to-skin time and let him nurse if he wanted. Not because I'm a strong martyr, but because I wanted what was best for my baby. Not best for anyone else's baby or family- but simply for mine. Because if there's one thing I quickly learned as my girlfriends were having babies, it's that what is best for one mama and her family, is not necessarily best for another. and that is MORE than OKAY! I also quickly learned that everything I ever said I would NOT do...well, I should just shut my mouth because I would do it, and did! *cough*co-sleeping*ahem! Anyway, I was able to follow my birth plan (holy shit, that was the most physically painful experience of my life)!

The first latch, I was praised, was perfect. It hurt like hell, though. It was recommended that I start pumping to bring in my milk faster, since I was so adamant about nursing exclusively. So, I did! Long story as short as it can be, I ended up overproducing....

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You know, I have spent a week trying to write this post. & I can't find a way to shorten it because my journey has been SO long, SO hard and SO amazing, simultaneously.

So let's break it down:

Think of all the issues one can have with breastfeeding and pumping: I had them! From oversupply, to under, to only one boob, to my baby having both a lip tie and a tongue tie and no one believing me (multiple doctors, lactation consultants, and finally a specialist who was our saving grace); followed by everyone telling me to just quit; craniosacral therapy; baby chiropractors; pumping while working; lipase (an enzyme) in my frozen milk; my baby not sleeping and being heavily attached; etc; etc; etc!

But we made it! 18 months strong as can be!

We started the weaning process at 11 months, haha! It took me SEVEN months to wean him! Ahh! But we went slow and steady. I started by substituting one session with (unsweetened almond) milk per week or two until we simply felt ready to replace another feeding. Oliver was extremely attached to me and would NOT take naps or go to sleep at night without nursing to sleep. So that, naturally, became the last feeding that we worked on. I practiced the "don't offer, but don't refuse" approach and that worked well for us. But I started noticing that no matter how much I tried to distract him in hopes of him realizing he didn't need it, he still did. My baby boy was extremely comforted by nursing. It was our time. Only ours. His little eyes would roll back and he would take a deep sigh of comfort. His little body would relax, his toes would uncurl. He would play with my face, or hair, or practice his gymnurstics. It was simply our time. There were other times, when I just felt like a human pacifier. Times I didn't feel that sweet connection, and instead felt that it was a habit. I wondered what it would be like to be a mama who didn't nurse; whose baby or toddler didn't depend on her in such a way.

For months I knew I would be going out of town for a weekend and my anxiety of leaving him for the first time was enormous. I cried at the idea of him calling out for me and not finding me. Of me not being able to comfort him and meet his every moment need, in his times of need. But I did. And so did he. And I came back and realized I hadn't nursed him in two days. TWO WHOLE DAYS and NIGHTS! As soon as he saw me and we settled in, he wanted to nurse. But between G and I, we decided there was no turning back if this was something we really wanted to move forward with. Because TWO WHOLE DAYS AND NIGHTS are too hard to do all over again. So slowly, and painfully, I moved into more and more days. And now, it's been two weeks. The first being the hardest. With my body wanting to continue producing and the pain and discomfort that comes with that. With my baby wanting to nurse and the pain that comes for both of us. But something magical has happened: my baby boy has discovered his Daddy. All of a sudden, there are two parents and he favors, finally. & to see the love and excitement in my husband's eyes every single time he walks in through the door and hears "DAHD!" from his 18 month old boy, I mean...seriously!

I am a bit sad. I am melancholy. I feel like Oliver is growing and changing and I am no longer his number one. Growing pains, I guess. His personality and attitude are adjusting and I am just...there, at times. I know that this transition will smooth out. I thought I would be jumping up for joy, feeling liberated and free. And yet, I feel a bit sad and unsure.

So I am making a conscience effort to turn my attention to my husband, per Oliver's cues. Because our relationship has been put on hold for the last 18 months as I nurtured and fed our baby boy. And now that our baby is a toddler and requires less of me, my husband requires more. So here's to my baby boy and my Babe.

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So last night, after finishing up this blog post during the day, I couldn't get our nursing relationship out of our mind. So I texted Geoff and told him I needed closure and needed to nurse Oliver one more time. His initial reaction was concern for setbacks but immediately told me he would support me in whatever I decided. I have been working 13+ hour days this week so I was so excited and anxious to get home. We did our typical bedtime routine with Oliver choosing a few books to read before bed. This time, he wanted to read in his teepee. We read a couple of books but my heart was racing with nervousness- what if he didn't need me anymore. I asked him if he wanted to nurse- he smiled and nodded and got into position. He latched on hesitantly, a bit unsure about what to do and while he figured it out, he looked up at me, touched my face with his chubby little hand and smiled- first with his eyes, and then with his whole face, lighting up my heart and making tears stream down my face. He repeatedly would drink, look up at me, caress my face or hair, hike up his leg, settle in, smile, chuckle, and exude all the love I needed. It was truly a euphoric experience. It was as if he knew and understood eeeeevery single struggle we went through; every tear of pain, happiness, frustration...each emotional rollercoaster we went on. He understood and was letting his mama know how loved I am and appreciative he is. It may sound silly but I swear it's true. Geoff was with us and we both talked to him a lot...he kept nodding his little head and chuckling and breathing in deep sighs of comfort. His little fingers curled around different parts of my face and hair....and then he started signing for "more" while still latched on. I guess this meant that there wasn't much milk left in there. I told him there was no more and he closed his little eyes, smiled and nodded as if he understood. He started to squeeze with both hands trying to express the little that he could, and because I didn't want him (or I) to get frustrated or ruin this extremely special moment, I asked him if he was all done. He shook his head no, but still latched off. With tears streaming down my face, I asked him for a kiss..He grabbed my face as he usually does, and gave me a dozen kisses. It was the PERFECT seal to our experience. Sigh. These words cannot even convey how this felt. I took him to his bed and laid him down. He grabbed his cup, his Lobo, and then for the first time, grabbed his comfort blankies (that he has never used but we keep in his crib, juuust in case) and snuggled it all...He stuck his little chubby baby hand through the railings of his crib, said "hi," grabbed my hand and after some tossing, turning, conversation, and snuggling, drifted off to sleep...

I am so grateful for this experience. It has changed me in more ways than I never imagined. I am stronger, more determined, more capable. I believe in myself, in my body, in my mamahood experience. I have had the most amazing support and have been able to share this experience. I have been motivated and inspired. I don't know where this leaves my nursing relationship. But I am not looking to label it. If last night was our final session, then so be it. If today, we nurse again, then so be it. All I know is that I needed that and I truly believe my baby boy did, too.

Forever in love.