:life:

having a child is an adjustment. we find that more everyday. you want to get a haircut? well, when does she eat next? want to have a date? well, who is gonna watch her? want to go for a jog? well, will it cut into nap time? trying to figure out parenting styles when you have none to begin with is a great challenge. it's all a great refining.

so, i've been trying to upload some photos but blogger has been slow, or my connection has been weird or something. chloe sported her kimono yesterday. so cute.



and she even cracked a smile.



despite her aversion to easily falling asleep at bedtime, she is our little sunshine, our soleil. we <3 chloe

:the world in warm hues:

i forgot to add this photo, which is one of my favorites.



grandma & chloe at our home.

:halloween & stuff:

although a bit early for the costumes, we decided to dress up chloe a bit early in a little outfit miss angelica gave us. it says, "i take after my mummy."






jared, myself, grandma and grandpa went to the mission yesterday, for delicious breakfast. sweet corn tamales...can't beat them.
the last 2 days have been truly relaxing. we always talk about taking a sabbath, but it can be very difficult, especially with the added work of having a child. we certainly love her, but there isn't really any true rest, especially for me, as i wake up every 3-4 hours at night to feed. but, i must say i feel blessed to even have 4 hour blocks of sleep. i really shouldn't complain.

last night, jared and i had our first date. grandma and grandpa were kind enough to watch chloe so we could have a romantic dinner at the prado in balboa park. i dressed up, probably more than i needed to, but it felt so good.



we both need haircuts, desperately. i basically live with my hair in a pony tail, even when i go out for a fancy dinner. we walked to the fountain at the park, chatted and laughed about life and how much it has changed. only 2 years ago, we'd barely just met. life goes quickly.

this morning this happened:



look closely under her bum and notice the glistening stream of pee. jared insisted that i take a photograph. i told him she's gonna pee and he said she wouldn't. oops. it was awesome. she's our little hippo.




jared, chloe and i took a lovely walk in south park/golden hills this morning. we went to the 28th & B starbucks and lusted after all the adorable craftsmen homes. maybe someday we can have the dog and the house and the kid...maybe even a little garden? chloe was an angel, sleeping for the entire time. it was almost like having another date, save the giant stroller.

this afternoon, we headed over to mission beach and the grandparent's condo. grandpa tip is in love with chloe.



we made cookies, watched the sunset, stared at chloe. all in all, another relaxing day with family. you really can't ask for more than that.

basically, it's all summed up here:

:rollin' with the chloe:

today, she rolled from her stomach to her back. i was amazed at how excited i was. such a simple accomplishment, yet it was as if she'd won a marathon or something.




the last 2 days have been wonderful. i find myself loving her so much more, enjoying my time with her and longing for her to be with me all the time.



her moments of dissatisfaction are much fewer, although still there. mainly, she only cries when she is tired, which is about an hour after she eats. whoever discovered that babies need a schedule is a genius. it has been the most valuable thing in raising her these last 6 weeks.



the term motherhood basically scared me, especially the first few weeks with chloe. now, i am beginning to take pride in that term, and the title of mother. i am truly blessed.

:mission:

auntie erin came down from orange county to attend to the baby. we ate lots of good stuff, like the mission breakfast...always a treat and made banana cake, which has become my personal favorite.



chloe was on her best behavior, nearly quiet every time i put her down to nap. unfortunately, right now is a different story. it's always when i actually want her to sleep so that we can sleep that she's a fuss.



jared and i are adapting to life slowly, but surely. i am starting to already forget what it is like to NOT have a child. i miss chloe after an hour of her taking a nap. she makes me a better woman. and i think that is one of main reasons for children. she is the tool God is using to refine me. Thank goodness.

:the sleeper:

i am happy to report that chloe is becoming more adapted to her crib and also to just falling asleep when she is supposed to. granted, there are still those moments of relentless crying for no reason.

this morning, she was so precious. we always swaddle her in a velcro swaddle. she started grunting and waking up around 6 so i decided to jump in the shower before she got too agitated and whiny. when i came out to check on her, the sweet thing had one leg and one arm hanging out, but she was totally quiet, just staring at the black and white photo we placed in her crib. i picked her up immediately and kissed her. i felt so bad for leaving her in such a state, but she just took it in stride, knowing that someone would eventually rescue her.



i think that's what it is often about: trust. i've noticed that if i put her in the stroller while she's sleeping, she will sometimes wake up and start crying for no reason. last week, i decided to stop and take her out to see if i could console her. she immediately stopped and i put her back without a fight. she fell asleep. i started thinking that maybe she just needed to know i was still there. when she's in the stroller, she can't see anything, so it may seem very isolated.

as she gets more used to crib life, she understands more about trust. we always come back for her, and never leave her in a poopy diaper, or hungry or in pain. we monitor the types of cries very closely. she's also learning to entertain herself, thank God. she will spend long stretches just staring, without a blink, allowing me to do simple things like dishes.

she is getting to be fun. and that's just swell.

:a day in the park:

yesterday was chloe's first adventure to balboa park. this is a favorite spot for jared and i. my dad came along and shot some photos, as you'll see below.
i made pan fried potato wedges and blue cheese and onion flat bread. yum. we had a little picnic at dusk below the giant tree. i am still confused about what kind of tree it actually is, but it is giant nonetheless.



the light through the arches was rich and golden. it was all very serene, complimented by the fact that chloe was very well behaved.

i think we should make this at least a monthly outing.

chloe is full of smiles and a long bean. she also has baby acne which isn't so attractive.

the girl is 5 weeks old! she is my precious soleil.

:the first:

hello to all.
since i seem to have so many photos and stories that pertain just to chloe, i thought it would be best to just give the girl her own blog. maybe someday she can continue it with her own writings. but for now, this will be the spot to come to hear/see all things chloe anna schauermann :)