chop chop

Surprise!!! So, this might be pretty vain of me to dedicate an entire blog post to hair, but since since blog is about my life and this was a pretty big change for me, I thought why not?

In case you need a really cute before picture....

^ #nofilter

Ah those long locks --it was time. That picture captures me day 3 without a shower and the baby may or may not had just spit up in my hair... It exudes a nice new mother glow doesn't it? :)

I've been daydreaming of chopping my hair for about six months now and boy did it feel nice once it was finished.  Caring for Pier and a few health issues postpartum has left me feeling less than glamorous, so a trip to the salon was just the ticket to get me feeling like myself again. 

PSA to new moms....GO PAMPER YOURSELF if you can!!! Pier has been going through a 6 week growth spurt (aka eating round the clock) and sleep regression and I have been running on 3 hours of sleep for the past week.  I left my house feeling like a zombie and came back home feeling like a rock star ready to take on whateva this baby threw at me.  That's the power of a haircut people.

 

month 1

Here's to ONE MONTH with Pier Francis!!!!

First, let me apologize for being lazy in the baby-update department.  This baby sure loves to eat and I haven't quite figured out how to breastfeed and type with two hands at the same time... I'm getting better at it though, so from here on out no more excuses. And sorry if you feel like you're scrolling for forever on this one, but I have lots to update you on! 

Brad and I have loved getting to know this lil dude.  This past month has been the most joyful, exhausting, emotional, and challenging month of my life and we wouldn't have it any other way :)

Now here are a few things we're learning about Mr. Pier...

he loves food (like his mama)

I call him Very Hungry Cater-Pier because I'm pretty sure this baby could win a food eating competition in the infant division.  The only time he cries is when he's hungry (which I can totally relate to because the struggle is real when ya need food and ya need it now).

he's curious

Doesn't Pier do an awesome blue steel?! He's pretty unsure what to think about that pacifier, but I just can't handle how cute he is when he's using it! 

I've noticed that Pier is a very alert baby.  He's always checking out his surroundings and is very aware of different noises and movement.  And those blue eyes of his? They make mama weak in the knees.

he's already bff with gertie the cat

Like we even needed to question that... I mean come on now.

he's always up for an adventure

 We are an active family, and Brad and I agreed that our kids wouldn't slow us down.  Pier tags along with us like a champ in anything his parents want to do!

Here we are walking along the Canal downtown when Annie and Papa were in Indy visiting us.  Just like his namesake, baby Pier loves to be outside .  If he's fussy all we have to do is bring him out to play in the backyard or on a walk and he's instantly calmed. 

And we had a blast spending a weekend outdoors on Ellis Lake for a young adult retreat put on by our parish.  The Frassati Society is a young adult group we're a part of whose mission is to celebrate Blessed Pier Giorgio's example of living a life of adventure. 

We spent the weekend unplugged, focusing on our family and reconnecting with the Lord. There were great talks, daily mass, Adoration, a rosary walk at sunset, and a bluegrass seminarian band. And I must say baby Pier was a little celebrity! Everyone wanted a piece of him, and I don't blame 'em.

he sleeps allllll the time

HA! Just kidding.  Don't let such pictures fool you, a napper he is not.  I'm lucky if he maybe takes a nap during the day, and lately at night he sleeps in 2-3 hour increments. But he does look so sweet and angelic when he does sleep doesn't he?

We love you Mr. Pier and we can't wait to see what month 2 has in store!

pier francis | behind the name

Before I begin, here's a friendly PSA about how to pronounce Pier's name.... it's like this, you see:

Just wanted to clarify because our little man has been called Peter, Piers, Pierce, and Pierre more times than we can count.  Technically in Italian it's pronounced kinda like the French Pierre but in one syllable, which we Americanize simply as the word pier (like a pier in a lake, or a peer in your classroom...you get the idea).

So, why exactly did we name him Pier and not something a little more...normal?

Ever since I was little, I’ve been obsessed with baby names.  I had names for all of my dolls, notebooks filled to the brim of each of my future children’s names, and would even research the meaning of names at a very early age.  Names fascinate me, so when it came to decide on a (very permanent) name for our firstborn, we put a lot of prayer and thought into the decision.

In true Catholic tradition, we plan on naming all our children after saints who live out the Gospel in extraordinary ways.  We ask for the intercession of these saints in order that our own children will become holy, virtuous men and women as they grow to carry out the love of Christ in his or her unique way.   Our Pier Francis is named after two very important men that hold special places in our hearts – Blessed Pier Girogio Frassati and Saint Francis of Assisi (we also really love this guy). Of course, "Pier" is Italian for Peter, so actually he has three pretty legit men looking after him ;). It was my prayer throughout my pregnancy that our baby Pier would possess the spirit and virtue of these great men. 

Most of you probably know the story of St. Francis, so I am excited to tell you about Blessed Pier Giorgio.  First off, if I were to have a saint crush, he's definitely it.  This guy was an Italian hunk -- super attractive, incredibly wealthy, and joyfully charismatic.  See studly photo for reference:

And he wasn't afraid to live a full life, either.  He loved to hike, ski, play practical jokes, climb mountains, smoke his pipe, and drink his wine with the best of 'em. 

Above all, he had a heart for the Lord and the Blessed Mother, and a deep devotion to the Eucharist.  This pure love for Christ and His Church stemmed an intense love for the poor.  His parents were ridiculously wealthy, but he gave everything -- even his bus fare -- to those in need.  His humility was so profound that even those closest to him had no idea he did these things. At the age of 24, he contracted polio from the poor that he so devoutly served, and died quickly after.  In fact, at his funeral, thousands of the poor of Turin showed up in vast numbers to say goodbye to their friend. 

So, you can see why we love Frassati so much!  We are blessed to have such a powerful intercessor for our firstborn and for our family. P.S. His feast day is TOMORROW!!!!! Blessed Pier Giorgio, pray for us!

“What does it mean to be “blessed” (makarioi in Greek)? To be blessed means to be happy. Tell me: Do you really want to be happy? In an age when we are constantly being enticed by vain and empty illusions of happiness, we risk settling for less and “thinking small” when it comes to the meaning of life. Think big instead! Open your hearts! As Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati once said, “To live without faith, to have no heritage to uphold, to fail to struggle constantly to defend the truth: this is not living. It is scraping by. We should never just scrape by, but really live””

— Pope Francis

Wanting to learn more about Frassati? Here are 10 More Reasons to Love Blessed Pier Giorgio.

And if you're still interested in his life (which you totally should be), here's a great short video about how vibrantly he lived out the Gospel, earning him the title "Man of the Beatitudes".  Also, if you're curious about the meaning behind verso l'alto Fr. Barron does a great job explaining it.  It's one of my favorites!

introducing...

pier francis fossier

So we had a baby last night!!! I'm so looking forward to share how our little man entered the world, but until then, here are the freshest photos of the newest member of our family to hold you over.  He is 7lbs 8oz and 20 inches of perfection and we are so in love.  And he's also the reason why blog posts will have more typos and grammatical errors than usual (hello already exhausted mama!).

Brad and I sincerely want to thank you all for your prayers...we can't wait for you to meet our baby Pier!

hospital packing...

It's so close!!!  I'm incredibly thankful I've had this bit of me time to rest and prepare my heart and my body for the marathon that is labor (and parenthood).

After doing some research (since I've never done this before), I think I've finally narrowed down what I want to bring to the hospital with me.  We're planning on doing most of the labor at home, so the labor section isn't really applicable to the hospital. But other than that, this is it! Dr. Brad gave me the inside scoop on what the hospital already provides mom and baby with, so I tried to keep things simple.  And obviously this isn't every little thing I'm bringing, just a couple items I think will be important!

for labor

birthing ball - this is such a great tool for labor, but also for the last trimester of pregnancy when you're feeling really pregnant.

snacks - In addition to a few other snacks, I plan on snacking on this in particular to give me added boost of energy when I need it. Pineapple is a natural pain reliever plus gives you a little bit of added sugar to keep you going. I know I'll probably not feel like eating, but it is a marathon people and you can't blame me for trying!

Shaklee Performance - my sweet grandmother gifted this to me and pregnancy would have been a lot worse without it! This stuff is amazing and helps not only with hydration, but also with any nausea I've experienced.

water bottle with straw - on my many pre-baby binge shopping trips to Target, I got myself a cute (important) glass water bottle with a glass straw to use specifically for labor.  I think the hospital provides one of these, but I wanted a cute one?

heating pad - helps with all the aches and pains you'll most likely get in early labor. I use mine all the time 3rd trimester.

swimming noodle - yep, you heard me...Our doula gave us this to use for rubbing down the back for labor.  Take my word for it, it feels pretty darn amazing.

lotion - I use this brand.  The lotion helps for a smoother massage, while the lavender essential oils help me to relax.

your favorite pillow + quilt - so you have the comforts of home with you in a new environment

for baby

snuggly "going home" outfit - so he looks his best for meeting Gertie the Cat the first time

blanket - for the car ride home (the blanket in the photo is this one from Target).

baby mittens - so he doesn't scratch his cute lil face

boppy - for nursing

for mama

comfy robe – growing a human isn’t easy, so I give you permission to treat yourself in this department.  Plus you never know who will be visiting you! View my picks here, here, and here. 

lip balm – I'm one of those people who is addicted to the stuff.  Seriously, I can’t leave the house without it, so of course it has to come with me to the hospital.  Plus all those breathing exercises will leave your lips feeling extra dry...you're already giving birth to a baby, let's not complicate the process by adding dry lips into the equation.  Here are a few of my personal favorites, here, here, and here.

rosewater and face wipes – Rosewater one of my favorite things. It is so cooling and refreshing! I use it multiple times a day as a little pick-me-up.  It is used as a face toner in my daily routine, but I like to dab a little on my neck and wrists as a natural perfume. This is the one I use.  And then face wipes because when I'm tired the last thing I want to do is wash my face. 

nursing tanks + sweats – winning combination for before and after labor (hospital gowns are not my thing). My plan is to look as cute as possible, obviously :).

pretty socks - to keep you warm...I've already experienced some crazy hormonal temperature shifts and socks are a big thumbs up in my book.

spiritual strength – rosary (I plan to listen to a scriptural rosary on my computer), bible verses and personal intentions I wrote in my journal, small crucifix to put by my bedside, and a photo of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.