life with riley

i dont really have anything other than riley going on in my life. so... riley it is. riley riley riley.

the hubs took the day off of work today to spend the day with his girls. its so nice to have him around. and an extra pair of hands. we went for a walk down to the beach, had breaky on the boardwalk, and then walked around a bit. riley and i were happy happy girls.

riley got a cute new dress and the sun was out so scotty snapped a few pics of us in the sunshine. i have like 4 pictures of her and i. so even though these arent the best pictures, i will cherish them forever.

she may look like her dad, but she always has dirty feet... just like her momma. some of us just prefer to be barefoot and happy.

thats all for this 80* friday.

bad blogger.

how is it that i havent had a spare moment to update the blog? probably bc i use my free time to shower, or tweeze my eyebrows, or fold clothes, or read other peoples blogs...

riley turned 6 weeks old yesterday. at her 5 week check up- she gained OVER 2x the amount that a normal baby would gain. i guess that makes sense considering she nurses every 45 minutes. she is plump, and healthy and DELICIOUS, and over 10.5 lbs!

she sleeps on my pillow, facing me. i feel her breathe all night... it brings me comfort and happiness that i cannot describe. i live for it.

she looks just like scotty. big ol blue eyes and all... lucky girl.

i feel back to normal again. we leave the house every day. this is huge for me.

my lower half got the feared "go ahead" yesterday. i can get up and down and feel zero pain. i can also exercise now. it has been a very long time since i did that. i have 8 lbs until i get to my "pre-baby" weight, but 18 to go until i reach my "pre- marriage" weight. whoops. so lots of work to do.

i am happy again, too. riley has always made me happy... but i had some ups and downs the last few weeks that i think scared scotty a little. but all is well on the bentley court front... except for the fact that i am SO BORED. i miss work a lot. i miss just talking to people about anything.

here is our little nugget. love her.

my genius idea to go on walks every night to lose the weight with scotty and riley has gotten derailed by the whole foods gelato three blocks away.
this is one of my favorites. what a sweety.
when nothing else will do- she lays on scotts forearm and sucks his fingers. whatever works.

this is the most threatening face in the world. this is what scott and i fear all day and all night. this face means i am about to flippin lose it. but its still so cute, no?

and riley knows how sexy i think my OB is so she purposely made crossed eyes in this pic. so that i never frame it. to protect scott. haha. also- still cute.

i am simply not the best cook. and to be honest... i dont really enjoy cooking all that much. anyways- i decided i am going to be one of those mommas who makes the same shit every week.

so then when riley asks her friend if they want to stay for dinner (i am thinking long term here), and they say, whats your mom making, riley can be like, "its monday- so spaghetti and then she will be drinking wine watching the bachelor".

sunday- some sort of filling salad... figuring we will have usually gone out for brunch ill keep it light. salmon caesar, chinese chicken, you get the point.

monday- spaghetti of some sort

tuesday- taco tuesday, duh

wednesday- fish of some sort (here is yesterdays tilapia with mango salsa and quinoa)

thursday- ronda's chicken. my mother in law has a fool proof chicken recipe. its heaven.

friday- order in.

saturday- husband will be taking me out. wine and dine me. or else i will lose it.

and- i think the cork board i bought for our kitchen is big enough. do you?

yes, this is what my life has amounted to. i need to go back to work.

rough.

my beautiful baby girl has a cold. she is not happy. she is not sleeping.

so neither am i.

this is hard. get well soon riley bear.

we love you.

2 weeks.

our little love turned 2 weeks old yesterday.

my mom baby sat and scotty and i went to a 530 dinner reservation at gjelina. it was nice to get out of the house. and there is no one i would rather have watch riley than my momma.

what have i learned in two weeks little girl?

well... i have a new depth to my ability to love. i love you so much it makes me cry... i cry all of the time (good tears). you are currently strapped to my chest with the ergo- and i find my spare hand holding you even closer. i cant listen to pretty songs anymore. ones about love, family, or home are off limits... they make me too overwhelmed with love and i drown myself in tears. i can survive on no sleep (so far). i can sit and stare at you for the whole day. you change every day, maybe even every hour, and i dont want to miss a second with you. i love your daddy more than i thought i could. little riley, you have already made me better. a better wife, a better and more appreciative daughter, (and a more reclusive friend, but im sure that will pass), and you of course made me a momma. thanks little angel.

heres a bit of your second week with us:

riley sage

joined our little family january 4th at 6:12 am.

7 lbs 11 ounces.

20 inches.

now THIS is love.

on tuesday, january 3rd, my doctor ordered for me to be induced the following day at 6am.

well riley knew that her momma didnt especially care to be induced.

we went home from the doc, had a date at the library ale house, just scotty and i, and came home to prepare the house and ourselves for the induction the following morning.

well- the induction wasnt needed: little girl came on her own.

contractions began around 5pm tuesday evening. they were 2-3 minutes apart at 8pm. checked into the hospital at 9pm @ 5cm dialated. baby girl came 9 hours later.

#1- she is healthy healthy healthy. thank you god.

she is sweet. she makes silly noises. i cry when i look at her. her daddy has been so so so over the top good to she and i. seeing the man you love care for your child is the most beautiful and sexy thing on earth. i now know what people talk about when they talk about LOVE. this is love. the raw, real deal. i feel so lucky to know what it feels like.

here is a little bit of rileys first ten days on the planet.

happy / terrified poppa cutting her chord

first bath @ home

little one

such a lady already

i have yet to get a good pic of the two of us

heaven.

our first walk... sortof a success... ha

life is still so sweet.

why i love living in venice.

street fruit. any time i want. double the lime juice and chili powder please.

home.

we have kicked it into overdrive trying to get our little home ready for 2012's guest of honor.

as i mentioned before, we started the party by fumigating while we were on our baby moon.

since then, we replaced the red roof with a grey shingle -i know a guy who got us a good deal :)- that makes the house look less 1930's and a tad more bungalow.

we drywalled the weird opening that was from the kitchen to the living room. this closed up the kitchen/living room entrance, and made it possible for us to give the little girl her very own room. we ordered interior french doors for the wider opening... and so far- it looks adorable.

we also planted sod in the backyard- so by the time i am able to drink wine again our backyard will be less of huntley's dig den and more of a family place.

we sold the couch of scotty's vengeance- the lounge couch that i purchased from crate and barrel one year ago- and got an L shaped couch for our new living room... the front entry :)

AND this week the house was painted!! i cant even stand it. the house we have wanted since buying our little project over a year ago is so close... we couldn't be happier.

other than that- I AM SO LAZY. the definition of sloth i am.

i am thankful to have a pretty large, healthy baby in my belly that COULD join us at any moment- but i would also be thankful for another week to get the home in tip top shape. i keep hearing about this sudden burst of insane energy one gets a few days prior to popping- well, i need it... so bring it on.

here are a few snippets of our progress in the little girlies room. ligit pics to come.

daddy and uncle adam painting the room for little one. (scotty picked out the color. he's a cute guy).

the only complete-ish corner of her room. LOVE the colors and the chevron.

i love this little mobile that she will be looking up at... its heaven.

she has a little shoe collection going. makes me so happy.

i feel so lucky to have this life. it is so good. and about to get better. holy moly.