High Five for Friday: {Obsessed}

Happy Friday. Five things I am obsessed with: 

1. The "Cups" song from Pitch Perfect! Well I am obsessed with the whole movie in general. I LOVE Fat Amy.


2. Robin Thicke! And his new song Blurred Lines. I'm not going to post the video due to the excessive nudity. But the beat is so catchy. Instead, here's a picture of his dad, Allan Thicke, from Growing pains.

                           

3.  Chew beads. 

Brynn has her first tooth! It seems like she's been slobbering us for months. Only a mom and dad can love these wet kisses! Brynn's Memaw gave us a pair of Chewbeads. Have you seen these things? It's a necklace of rubber balls which are safe for babies to chew on. It is amazing!!! Here's their website {Chewbeads}

Look at all their pretty colors... Obsessed.

4. Coconut Milk Ice Cream

I'm getting back on track and have been Paleo-living for the past week and a half. Weekends are alway hard and Friday comes I never want to cook and usually want something sweet for desert. Tom came home with this treat. Coconut milk ice cream.. Sweet, but not enough to throw off the hard work from the week. There are lots of flavors but tonight was Mint Chocolate! 

5. Yes its true, I'm OBSESSED with this girl. You know it if you follow me on {Instagram}

Happy Friday Y'all! 

{Linking up with Lauren Elizabeth} Another Obsession.

Brynn's 6&7 Month Favorites

This little mama has been on the move for the past 2 months. Sitting up was just the beginning and now Brynn is on the move and busier than ever. Summer came at the perfect time, our play sessions are so much fun and it makes me sad when she has to nap... usually because this mean I need to clean or do laundry. {But I can usually be found relaxing on the couch}

Here are some of our favorite things lately...

One of Brynn's favorite toys is the Bert and Ernie Double Fun Giggle Ball. One of my AH-Mazing sister in laws has passed down a slew of toys and this was one of them. It's kind of creepy if you ask me but Brynn loves it! You press down on their mouths and it giggles and spins. The fluffy hair can be found between her little fingers and she smiles so big when the creepy laughter begins. 

At first I didn't know what to think about this book, I Love You Stinky Face. The teacher in me wasn't too fond of the "name calling" title, but after reading the words I fell in love with it and it has become one of Brynn's favs as well. The mom in the story talks about unconditionally loving her baby, no matter what. Perfect!

We have become a bunch of pool hoppers! Between Nana, Memaw and friends' community pools this Foaming Sunblock has become an essential in the diaper bag. The foam is SO much easier to lather on rather than the spray, which only startles a baby.... I mean come on. I adore the smell of a greasy, sunscreened baby.

Nana bought Brynn this awesome pool floatie. The adjustable shade is perfect for the Texas sun. Brynn will sit in it for a bit before wanting out to dip and spin in the water. She is constantly trying to chew the front part of the float which only leads to a face full of water. Silly girl. 

Only a few days before Brynn started crawling she began reaching and pulling up in her crib. After lowering the crib we quickly went and bought this Fisher Price Activity Table. We were able to skip playing on the floor and this has become her FAVORITE toy. And.... it's bilingual! :) This mama can be found humming, whistling and singing the songs even after Brynn is asleep.

How cute is this Finger  Puppet Book?!? Our Aunt MB sent this {among other goodies} for Brynn around Mother's Day. I pulled it out last week and watched my little girl squeal with delight when we read the book and I moved the piggies. Best part... the little piggie has cookies-not roast beef! :) 

I really didn't know how to feel about Pack 'N' Plays until this month. In desperation to clean before a Summer BBQ we were hosting we busted out this hand me down. With Brynn scooting and crawling all over I needed a few moments in the kitchen. We fill it will her favorite toys and see will play to her hearts content {well for maybe 20 minutes}. This also came in handy on vacation and acted as her crib.

Brynn's Five Month Favorites

1.Brynn is a mover. If I could make a prediction, I think she will be crawling within the next 2 months. She has already found a way to spin herself in a complete circle on the activity mat. She pulls on the mat and turns her body. I have always adored Baby Legs but have refused to pay the $12-$15. After receiving my hand me down sewing machine and discovering Target's knee socks, Brynn has DIY Baby Legs in every color. They are so easy to make and take almost no time to make. I use this tutorial I discovered on Pinterest.

2. Again our hand me downs have been the best part of having Brynn. We are spoiled beyond measure by Tom's 2 older sisters. My sister in law gave me her gently used jog stroller and Brynn Marie loves it. We have taken many walks (and a few jogs) around the neighborhood. Brynn and I even discovered an old grave marked by a Texas historical marker. As bumpy as the stroller is Miss B is soothed by the road and falls asleep quickly.

3.I am determined to be a faithful mama and be in the word with Brynn. Sometimes determination is not enough and therefore I am thankful for His grace. I adore Brynn's first bible! It was an early Christmas present for her. The Jesus Storybook Bible is amazing! I have constant backflashes to preschool sunday school. I love the words that were chosen to explains God's love for us.

4. The Sassy Wonder Wheel is Brynn's newest toy and she adores it. I bought it to add to her exersaucer but there is no surface flat enough for the suction cup to stick to. So now we stick it to her bumpo chair's tray when she is in the kitchen with us. She is mezmorized!

5. Brynn has the best daddy! He had been eying this swing for our girl, and no other swing would do... adorable! The only thing more adorable, is her in the swing! She LOVES it. We have been enjoying the gorgeous weather with the wind in our hair.

Brynn's Favorite Things: 4 Months

Sophie the Giraffe: Well this is a given! We cannot leave home with Sophie. Again, she is the perfect size for our girl to wrap her little fingers around. Brynn munches on every apendage of this poor giraffe... We do love Sophie!
Fredie the Firefly by Lamaze: This is by far Brynn's favorite toy. We have this Firefly hanging from her activity mat and little girl will twist and turn her way until she can reach this little guy.The wings are very crunchy and the light reflects off his wings. It is so much fun to watch her interact with her "friends."
Oball Rattle and Sophie La Girafe Teether: Brynn has been quite the drool monster this month. I predict a tooth poking through in the next few weeks. She has been chomping down hard on some toys. Sophie the teether was a gift from Brynn's Memaw and it's great. She loves the texture of the teethers when she is going to town. The Oball rattle also finds its way to her mouth. We laugh so hard when she sticks her tongue through the holes when she is trying to shove the ball in her mouth. The holes allow her to shake the ball and even throw it. It mades its way onto the floor as we strolled though Lowes.
Mamas and Papas Snug: We decided against the traditional Bumpo and registered for this seat. We have yet to put on the tray. It's perfect when we are feeding Brynn her oatmeal each night. Somehow, most of the time, she ends up slumped over shoving her toes in her mouth... very ladylike... I know.
Babies R Us Glider: Best purchase yet! Originally we had a hand me down wooden rocking chair in the nursery. But after a few weeks of wood on bone rocking we used the rest of our giftcards to buy a glider. With LOTS of padding. This bad boy is so comfortable that most nights you can find this mama dozing while rocking the baby. Mouth wide open dozing... 
I am so glad we splurged. It makes the late night feedings much easier.
Soothe and Glow Seahorse: This is another lifesaving gift from Memaw. Tom has mastered pacifier reach around. His arms are long enough to pacify a crying baby while driving. But me and my short arms can't go go gadget my way back there. Instead this seahorse can lull Brynn with the musical melodies. We use her in the car when little girl is fighting a driving nap.

Brynn's Favorite Things: 3 Months

Jameson Monroe Headbands: I have fallen in LOVE with this Etsy site! I need one of each for Miss Brynn. I have had my eye on these beauts for a while everytime they come across a GroupDealz and finally ordered some. They came in the mail just  in time for Valentine's Day! They fit our girl's head so well. And Nana loves them because they don't swallow her head. She's not a huge fan of the ginormous bows... I would beg to differ. 

Aveeno Baby Wash & Shampoo: So fresh and so clean. For as much as baby loves the bath and for the nights Mama and Daddy need it to silence our crying daughter, this has quickly become a new favorite. It has a very light and airy scent to it. Nothing to perfume-y and heavy on our girl's skin. It leaves the perfect baby scent in her dark hair and I can't stop breathing it in as we snuggle before bed. 

Infantino Activity Mat: This is not actually our mat... this is. Either way our girl loves rolling around under the sweet dangling toys. Although our mat is different I adore Skip Hop's toys and they are currently hanging on the mat. We love being able to detach the bars above and give Brynn a bit more room to scoot around. Daddy has seen our strong girl roll over all last week and FINALLY caught it on video. I'm hoping to see it this weekend! On the mat :) 

Graco Simple Snuggles Bouncer: This gift has been a LIFESAVER! There have been many mornings when I'm solo when Tom's on shift and not only am I trying to get ready for work, but then Miss B begins to stir. I call it the baby shuffle. After feeding her she loves hanging out in the bathroom with her Mama in this bouncer. It is the perfect place for her! And it vibrates so she usually drifts back to sleep. Last week we put it on the counter while making dinner together. Like I said, LIFESAVER!

Baby Socks that look like shoes: Enough said! These kill me.They are adorable and our girl has them in almost every color! There is nothing cuter!

Boppy: A definite MUST have! I didn't really use this much while breastfeeding, and still don't but now we love it for Brynn. She has napped in it multiple times but now it is perfect to help her sit up when she's sitting like a big girl. It gives her just the right amount of support she needs. We love the cover too! Gender nuetral... :) 

Summer Infant Touch Video Monitor:  This was a splurge for us. We did not receive the monitor from our registry so we were going to use an audio monitor from my sister in law initially. Tom insisted that we use our left over giftcards for this puppy. After a little pushback from me (imagine that) I caved, and I am SO glad I did. I love that we can watch our girl twist and turn and hear her talk herself to sleep. And I can spy on her daddy when he is putting her down. I love the touch screen and there is also a talk back feature which will come in handy when she grows older. Smartest surrender yet..

There are so many things that help our family of 3 get through the day alive and sane... these are just a few of our Month 3 Favorites!

Brynn's Favorite Things: Two Months

Two Month Favorites

Puj Infant Tub: This thing is ah-mazing! Brynn absolutely loves bathtime. This foam contraption is a little piece of heaven. It props right up in the sink and they just recline back. Our girl loves the water... she is mesmerized by the faucet and will run her hand underneath the running water. 

Look at that Buddha Belly.

4 Piece Character Hooded Towel and Washcloth Set:  
Speaking of bathtime... who doesn't love a baby in a hooded towel? This crab set is our favorite especially when she's feeling crabby. Okay, that was corny.

Old Navy Monkey Bow Tie Critter Beanies For Baby: 
We finally retired the reindeer hat therefore we were pumped when our across the street neighbor gave us this adorable monkey hat. You've definitely seen it if you follow me on Instagram (mrsrusko)

Little Tummys Gas Relief Drops:
Our girl is quite gassy. I like to say she got it from her daddy. She also gets the hiccups atleast 5 times a day. These life savers have calmed our girl down when the gas or hiccups start to make her uncomfortable.

Jellycat Cordy Roy Bunny
I LOVE, I mean LOVEEEEEEE jelly cat stuffed animals! They are the cutest I have seen and come in some pretty unique animals. Brynn was beyond spoiled this Christmas, including her first jelly cat, Bunny! I love that each animal comes with their own storybook.

My Little Snugabunny™ Cradle ’n Swing
Our girl loves to swing and rock! We did not receive a swing from our registry but a parent from my kindergarten classroom blessed us with this GENEROUS handmedown. In was in perfect condition. On the few nights Brynn has been inconsolable, this is the only solution. 

 Catching up from Week 8

(Left to Right)

Me and Brynn enjoyed our last few days together being lazy and squeezing in all the snuggles we could. Had to put her down a few times in the boppy...

Daddy passed up the first pair of adorable heart sunglasses but Mama surprised him with an even better pair while he snoozed. I think he likes them.

We can't always be happy.. it's a hard life. Perfecting the pouty lip! 

Pinkalicious in her bow!

Looking more like her Mama everyday! Bright eyes.

Brynn's first time in the Bjorn. Success! Mama made dinner :) 

The new go to hat! Monkey baby.

I can't believe our girl is already 9 Weeks old

Baby girl was worn out after Mama's first day back at work. Nana's house is way too fun but 2 month shots are not. She was all snuggles that day.

Nothing more beautiful than a Daddy's love for his Daughter.

Early morning feeding.. a bit too early but this sweet face makes it worth it :)

Our strong girl! Checking out her daddy.

Monkey jammies at 4 o'clock... don't mind if I do.

Friday afternoon and early dismissal. This girl was happy to see her mama and I am beyond excited to spend the weekend with my girl. 

Sleepyheads! 

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We will be soaking in every moment this weekend! Soaking in the sunshine too. The weatherman says sunny and 67 tomorrow, LOVE IT!

These Are a Few of Brynn's Favorite Things

I saw this idea on one of my favorite blogger's site to document baby's favorite things each month. I have this blog mainly for myself to remember important things and I think it will be neat to see how baby products have changed the next time we have a baby.... whenever that may be. Years down the road according to Tom.

I know Brynn is past one month mark, but I still want to document some of her our favorite things.

Brynn's Month One Favorites

1. Nap Nanny: I know, I know. There is a recall on this. I can't tell you how many texts and facebook messages I got when they issued the recall on these bad boys after I posted pictures of Brynn napping in the nanny. I don't care what the recall says, this was a life saver the first month. For whatever reason Brynn would not sleep flat during the night. We put her nap nanny in the cradle and she slept like a baby. Yes, I know the warning tag says don't let your baby sleep in there, like I said before it saved us from sleepless nights and a tired baby. 

2. Johnson's Bedtime Baby Lotion: The Johnson's commercial told me that "a baby's skin dries out 2 as fast as mine" so I am quick to lather sweet girl up with this lotion. It smells heavenly! Not like the traditional baby powder scent which I adore as well. It is supposed to be calming and help baby sleep better... eh the jury's still out on that one, but we do love it! Just make sure to warm it up before slapping it on the babe :) 

3. Britax B-SAFE Infant Car Seat: I went back and forth on which carseat to choose, but I am so happy we ended on this one. It works so well with the stroller combo, it just clicks in without any pesky converter contraption. The seat has a very sturdy sun visor thingie, unlike other carseats that were flemsy and loose. Not to mention, I love the black, gray and white combo. Good for girl or boy... thinking ahead.

4. Aden Anais Muslin Baby Wraps Swaddles: I think every mama loves these blankets. So light and airy! And they come in the cutest girly prints. I was thrilled when we received 2 packs from my home group girls. After watching a youtube video on the Happiest Baby on the Block Swaddle, both Mama and Daddy H have perfected the swaddle with these blankets. They are just the right thickness with Brynn's warm and cozy jammies, not too heavy.

5. Carter's Sleep & Play: If you have seen any of my facebook pictures, or follow me on Instagram (@mrsrusko) you can clearly tell that we have a jammie obsession. The footsie jammies from Carter's are some of our favorites. We have both cotton and fleece, for the cold nights. Tom cracks up the different animals on the feet, his favorite are the kitties. These jammies have been perfect for the lounging around we've been doing in the past weeks, or when we head out to run errands in our comfies.

6. Baby Reindeer Hat: This was by far one of my favorite gifts. Brynn's Auntie May May bought her this hat and couldn't wait until the baby shower to give it to her. She purchased it from this Etsy site. We rocked this hat all the way until the first of January, and it made the Christmas card. Who doesn't love a baby in antlers. I am cruising the site for a new hat to wear until the warm weather starts up. 

We have lots of other favs from the first month but these items were crucial in the first few weeks. Until next month...