Hello world!

You know when you can’t decide which picture is best? Here is a profile and a “what are you looking at” stare right into the camera, because “I’m brand new, but I feel like I will have to get used to this” face. If you didn’t meet her yet, this is Alexandra Maria, born on December 29th, 2016, just in time to join the 2016 party right at the very end, closing out the year with a BANG! An 8 pound, 11 ounces and 20.5 inches bang, felt every step of the way by me. Read more about it on our birth story, but for now, let me introduce you to this face as a newbie into this world

And that was right. Photoshoot at 8 days old, when time was spent mostly asleep and we still didn’t really know what we were doing when it was time to breastfeed.

Have you guys seen the meme where a baby sits in a basket that simply states: I don’t always sit in a basket, but when I do, I wear nothing but a headband? Well…similar situation here, except she had already peed on my tulle skirt, so we decided to put a diaper on it. Fool me once baby…

But the whole point of this post is: I just wanted to share a little bit of my love’s newborn pictures with you all… now that she is officially NOT a newborn. I MISS this. I miss it a lot. Yes, she’s still a “baby” but this phase is awesome.

Priceless shot of my precious life surprise! a baby in a pot (my favorite Collection by MacKenzie-Childs). I was one of ‘those’ who used to say they’d never have a baby, and who now is completely in awe of that very baby.

It’s like boot camp. The first 2 weeks you’re just wondering how you got there and if you’ll ever survive, but once you figure out what you have to do to not get yelled at, it’s typically runs smoother and you end up with fond memories.

Ok, boot camp is way easier than living with a newborn, and way shorter too. But the first 2 weeks of having a baby at home are definitely the hardest!! I’d say the first month even. At boot camp, you usually learn the ropes and get left alone once you figure things out, but with a baby, everyday there is something new, so just when you thought you learned something, there is something new around the corner. It’s challenging, but the most amazing and gratifying of them all. And YES, I’ve been to boot camp )Air Force veteran!).

Anyway, It’s amazing how each phase is spectacular, yet you keep missing the previous phase. I couldn’t help but put her inside my favorite bakeware from MacKenzie-Childs: Courtly Check pattern. She stayed so still, is she could live in this pot the time. Too sweet with her little button nose. Speaking of which we don’t know where this nose came from! Maybe it’s a mix of mine and Winecoach’s?

Impromptu shoot with my tulle skirt from sew trendy accessories, where I got my maternity gowns. I LOVE this skirt, and baby looked so cool in the center. We always have fresh flowers on the house, and these tulips were the perfect unexpected icing on the cake.

Doesn’t she look like an angel? Probably not to you but to me, this is the picture of heaven.

None of these were previously planned, but that’s the beauty of it! Thankful for the amazing and experienced LB photographer who is so patient, a great listener who was completed instrumental in these shots as well as my mother (whom LB tolerated/collaborated with), and who is always insanely talented and full of ideas that drives us all crazy, but nevertheless is always a brilliant contributor.

Here is Alexandra again, cradled in my maternity tulle skirt. I had posed in it just weeks before with my 38 week pregnant maternity photoshoot again with LB.

here are some shots to remember, wearing the skirt and also featuring my favorites from MacKenzie-Childs in my kitchen. I love these because this is as is… my kitchen that is. I don’t usually sip tea wearing a cascading waterfall of tulle (skirt by Sew Trendy Accessories), but these were fun to take.

Doesn’t she look like a porcelain doll here? Come on!

Always get your newborn shots done before they turn 2 weeks old. They basically stay in any position you put them if they are well fed. This day was also the first time Alexandra had my milk from a bottle. At just a week old, we were still learning each other and breastfeeding altogether. It would have taken 2 hours to feed her when she was hungry so we had to give her a couple of ounces here in there so she would just sleep and be peaceful. Hungry newborns are ver incooperative we learned!

You don’t need a ton of outfits either. Nakey, or wearing something cute and warm is usually the best bet. When babies are born, they quickly lose weight, about 10% of their body weight within the first week. It’s not always easy to gain it back quickly so they get cold easily. Alexandra was born 8 lbs 11 oz, but I took her 3 weeks to get back to birth weight, and she never looked back. She’s been a little solid chunk from the first month forward but not until then!

They literally will fall asleep anywhere…

Yes, proud “we are parents?” moment. To this day, I can’t believe it.

Daddy’s little girl. And forever she will be.

He’s into wine, maybe one day she will also be.

As I said, if they’re well fed, they will sleep anywhere!

Even on top of corks…daddy’s work (mommy helped) get those corks out.

Mama’s little foodie. I wonder if she will like to cook, if she will be a good eater. I wasn’t, I was terrible and didn’t eat anything green until I was well into adulthood. Someone gifted Alexandra this bib and coincidentally I already had this apron (I believe it was a gift at my bridal shower 6 years ago!). It was the perfect match!

All I wanna do, is spend time with you! Literally my baby.

Here is a fully nakey one! I can’t believe she was so little! These pictures are so amazing to have, to look back on. Highly recommend having them done you guys!

Grandma’s little angel…

Grandma waters her little flower. She calls her “botão de rosa” or budding rose. I think it’s so cute to see them interact.

Alexandra loves her grandma.

The nursery. So much love was put into this and it was touched by the whole family. The perfect crib, bedding, armoire, rocking chair, changer, all by Bratt Decor. They have the most beautiful nursery pieces, everything is gorgeous and they are so helpful with designing the perfect nursery.

I love girly things, but I wanted a neutral color, yet with a pop to the nursery. Im obsessed with this Parisian canopy crib and the bedding deemed for a princess. I’m so happy with the bright green offsetting with the white and ivory tones of the nursery. I am also proud to say my mother did the canopy by hand yards and yards of tulle, and with help from my sister who came over for the birth of the baby. Every detail had their hands in it. Mom is an artist and interior designer, very talented. Hubby and his dad, my father-in-law put the nursery items together. Pops flew in from the Netherlands a couple of weeks before baby Alexandra’s arrival to do this, plus help us settle into our new home. I’ll be forever thankful for that.

There is the tulle skirt again…

We couldn’t be happier, despite the sleep deprivation. This had just gotten better since my milk had come in a couple of days before. Nursing was finally happening for us and baby was sleeping longer than an hour at a time.

A little slice of heaven. Plus my belly cast on the side as a reminder that this just happened. We did the belly cast 2 days before she was born so it was just 10 days old.  So vivid, hard to believe the belly I had been living with for nearly a year was gone.

We were both still learning how to do this….now we both literally do it with our eyes closed!

Ah, thank goodness for that grasping reflex! And my beautiful rainbow dress by sew trendy accessories.

The happiest little family!! I hope you enjoyed this little treat and tips inside our newborn album! This was so fun to make and relive. I hope you all enjoyed!

Xo, Ana

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