Your second month has come and gone and we are loving life with you.

Julia is starting to warm up to you and even asks for you each morning when she wakes up. I think you’ll be a tough little boy because Big Sister can be a little rough with you. You handle it like a champ though.

You were so fussy and uncomfortable your first month. I stopped nursing you at 5 weeks and you became a completely different baby once we started formula. You still fuss in the afternoon, but gone are the days where you scream for hours on end. I haven’t regretted my decision for even a minute.

Speaking of food, you love your groceries! You eat at least 35 ounces a day, which has resulted in the formation of the most delicious leg rolls. Momma’s little piggy.

You smile all the time and coo up a storm. Great Granny loves keeping you and she says y’all carry on full conversations together. I don’t doubt her. Make sure you listen close to Granny and soak up all of her stories and wisdom. She’s seen a lot in this life and is a wonderful story teller.

You’ve been sleeping through the night for about three weeks now. I still can’t believe it. You sleep from 9:30-5:30 or 6 most nights. What a blessing! I have you on the Moms on Call schedule and you are just flourishing with the routine.

I’d always heard that the bond between a mommy and her son was something special but I never quite understood. You’re only two months old but you’ve already captured my heart. I cherish that 6 a.m. feeding when the house is still quiet and you and I can just snuggle. You have already blessed me immensely.

Mac’s 2 month stats

Weight: 13 lbs (a guess)
Length: 22 inches (a guess)
Eyes: dark blue- maybe they’ll change?
Hair: Tons of dark hair! I don’t think any has fallen out yet.
Sleep: 9:30-6 most nights
Eat: 7 6 or 7 ounce bottles a day- you’re my Big Buddha!

All my love,
Mommy

They’re simple and classic and beautifully announce our newest blessing to the world.

If you need any custom design and printing jobs done I highly encourage you to check out Allison Powell Designs. They also created Julia’s 1st birthday party invitations which were just precious.

Have a great day, friends!

The Duchess

We made the easiest Butterfinger cookies out of cake mix! They only have four ingredients and Julia just loved mixing them all together. No electric mixer needed.

I loved seeing her little face light up as she tasted the batter. She waited so patiently while the cookies baked and cooled. And when she tasted them? Pure joy.

She may have thought we were just making cookies, but to me it was so much more. I hope I remember these sweet little moments for a long, long time.

The Duchess

Memorial Day is right around the corner and you’ll be the belle of your cookout with a monogrammed beach towel, beach bag, and sunglasses. How adorable are these prizes?

I have a monogrammed Crystal Faye towel of my own and get tons of compliments on it. I can’t wait to sport my beach bag this summer, too.

Don’t forget that all Duchess of Fork readers get 10% off Crystal Faye orders with the code duchess10.

To enter, follow the Rafflecopter prompts below. Contest ends this Friday. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Many beauty items I use every day can be found in the aisles of the drug store. I’ll happily try new products but I’m a very loyal customer when I find something I love. Here are some of my tried and true favorites.

Olay Complete All Day Moisturizer

I use this moisturizer every single day, whether or not I’m wearing makeup. It’s light and provides great SPF coverage.

L’Oreal Ever Pure Sulfate-Free Shampoo and Conditioner

A lot of Twitter friends recommended this shampoo when I was looking for something inexpensive for color treated hair. I’m sure it’s not as good as a salon-quality shampoo, but it smells wonderful and I’m happy enough with it.

Dove Syle + Care Strength and Shine Extra Hold Hair Spray

I am obsessed with this stuff. I used to pay $25 a bottle for Aveda hairspray (which is insane!!), but this Dove spray is my new favorite. It smells incredible and gives me great hold and frizz control without being heavy and making my hair crunchy. I’ll never buy another brand of hairspray again.

Baby Lips

Just a fun little lip moisturizer! I like the Quenched, the clear variety.

Revlon Fabulash Mascara

I’ve tried a zillion different mascaras. Cheap ones, expensive ones, Dior all the way down to Revlon. I have to say, the drug store mascaras are far and away my favorites. I’ve used Fabulash as long as I can remember with great results. I like Blackest Black and NOT waterproof. That stuff is impossible to get off!

Maybelline Define-A-Line Eyeliner

To me, this is the easiest eyeliner to use. I never could get behind liquid eyeliner and the pencils don’t give me a thin enough line.

What are your favorite beauty products from the drug store? Anything I need to try?

The Duchess

I’m not concerned with getting “skinny”- I just want to return to the state of mind and physical shape that I was before Mac was born. I was working out 5 times a week, eating {mostly} right, and feeling good. I had energy and could happily chase Julia around. I’m ready to be there again.

I know it’s going to take time, but I’m ready to get the journey started. Now that the dust has settled, I’m hovering around 144 pounds. I was about 134 when I got pregnant with Mac and 165 when I delivered him. I know I’m going to have to work hard for these last 10 pounds to come off but I’m looking forward to the battle!

My biggest struggle these days is finding the time and energy to workout. I literally have 30 minutes of down time a day and I’m so wiped that I usually lay down. I know this will get better once Mac sleeps through the night.

Child care is another issue. My gym has a great nursery but kids have to be six months to attend. I can (and do) take Julia but I have to find other arrangements for Mac.

My goal these days is to work out 3-4 times a week. I’m being flexible. Some days I walk and run outside, some days I do a Jillian Michael’s DVD, and some days I can actually make it to the gym. I know I’m just happy to be doing something!

As far as eating goes, we’re getting back to well balanced meals and snacks. No more fries and sweets that I indulged on during pregnancy. We’re not Paleo type folks. We just cook with wholesome ingredients and watch our portions.

So there you have it.

I’m really excited and eager to get back in shape and I know I’ll be there sooner or later. I’m giving myself grace. It’s not going to happen today or tomorrow, but if I stick with I’ll get there. More than anything I want to be a positive role model for my kids and enjoy a long and healthy life with them.

The Duchess

We’ve been Paula fans for years and have nearly all of her cookbooks. We were thrilled at the thought of meeting Paula. My Granny was under the weather so my dear friend Page took her spot.

Paula was incredibly gracious. We were quickly ushered over for a photo op with her and Michael and she encouraged us to squeeze in close to her and even reminded me to take of my sunglasses for the picture.

She was so tiny! About as tall as me (5’3) and skinny. Girlfriend has lost a ton of weight.

Brunch consisted of a variety of Paula’s recipes. I filled my plate with delicious shrimp and grits, sweet potato crusted grouper, sauteed veggies and even gooey butter cake.

We had such a lovely time and it was a thrill to meet one of my favorite celebrities. Paula was just as bubbly and fun as she seems on TV. She’s like everyone’s loving grandmother.

I love to imagine that one day Paula will invite me to her home and we’ll sit around drinking coffee, eating cookies, and chatting about life in the South.

On another exciting note, I finally got my new car on Friday!

Here’s my beautiful new 2013 GMC Acadia. I’m a wee bit in love. Now she just needs a name- any suggestions?

The Duchess

You’ve been on this earth for one whole month now! The past four weeks have flown by and it’s already hard to remember life without you.

Your first month has been quite busy. We moved two weeks after you were born and have spent the last couple weeks getting settled into our new home. Your sweet little nursery is coming along and you’re already sleeping in your crib.

You are extremely colicky and rarely stop fussing. I hate that your little tummy is always in knots and I try my best to ease your pain. It can be very draining to listen to you scream all day and I’m hoping you’ll grow out of it soon.

You’re my little cuddle bug. You love being pressed up close against Daddy or me. I often wear you in the Ergo because it’s one of the rare things that soothes you to sleep. We love going on walks with big sister this way.

We haven’t started playing or reading all that much because you just can’t stand to be set down. Tummy time is certainly not your favorite time of day. I love reading and singing to you while you nurse, though. It’s our special time together.

You absolutely keep me on my toes at all times. You’re as different from your sister as you could possibly be but I already love that about you. I’m excited to see you blaze your own path in this world. I love you to the moon and back and can’t wait to see what your sweet little life holds.

Weight: around 9 lbs
Length: around 21.5 inches
Hair: TONS of dark hair
Eyes: dark blue as of now
Eating: you nurse every 3 hours
Sleeping: some nights you go 7 hour stretches, some nights it’s only 4

The Duchess

I feel like I’m slowly getting back into a groove in the kitchen. It’s still hard to get dinner ready because everyone seems to need me between 4 and 6 pm. Perhaps I’ll start prepping our food during nap time?

Here’s what we ate last week:

MONDAY: Wheat penne with onions, peppers and turkey meatballs

Such an easy dish. I had every ingredient on hand, down to the frozen turkey meatballs. Not the fanciest or prettiest, but it got the job done.

TUESDAY: Pot roast, mashed potatoes and salad

I’m so thankful that friends have been bringing us meals twice a week since Mac was born. This pot roast was especially delicious. Thanks Amanda! I’m sad this is our last week of meals.

WEDNESDAY: Asian Chicken Cobb Salad

OH MY GOODNESS. This was delicious. I love making Cobb salads and the idea of an Asian version had been swirling around in my head. I topped a bunch of chopped romaine with avocado, shredded carrots, broccoli slaw, avocado, cucumbers, sliced almonds, rice noodles, baked chicken tenders and ginger dressing. I meant to add edamame but forgot it at the store. Make this soon!

THURSDAY: Bacon tomato pasta, garlic bread and salad

Another meal train dinner! My friend Laura’s sweet mom Darlene is quite the cook and we were thrilled to eat her creation. Julia ate all of the bacon. Every single piece. We also enjoyed the homemade German Chocolate Cake from Darlene.

FRIDAY: Girls’ Night! I actually went to a wine bar with girlfriends and it was lovely.

SATURDAY: Rough afternoon/evening with the kids. I had cereal.

SUNDAY: Crockpot BBQ pork over boiled sweet potato chunks and topped with sauteed zucchini, onions and corn

What’s not to like here? This BBQ pork recipe is so easy and so delicious.

What are you cooking? I need easy and healthy ideas. Slow cooker ideas would be great, too!

The Duchess

When I got pregnant with Mac I started asking moms of two what else I would need, if anything. I had all of the essentials leftover from Julia, which was nice. Most moms suggested a carrier so I could wear the new baby and a double stroller.

Here is my list of newborn essentials. It’s not much different than what I used with Julia. I use these products each and every day with Mac.

My Brest Friend nursing pillow

I didn’t nurse Julia so this was new for me. I have a Boppy, but I absolutely love this pillow. It straps around your waist, providing much-needed back support. I’m small-chested, so I usually wedge a pillow underneath the pillow to get Mac closer to his food source. I also love the pocket- it’s perfect for holding my lanolin so I’m not always searching for it.

Dr. Brown’s bottles

I used these with Julia and loved them. Each baby is different, but I’ve been using these with Mac without any problems. He doesn’t get a bottle very often, but these get the job done for us.

Madela lanolin

I much prefer the Madela lanolin to the Lanisoh that they gave me at the hospital. This is much thinner, doesn’t stain my shirts, and is easier to wipe off. Sore nipples be damned!

Munchkin wipes warmer

I used this warmer with Julia and now have one in Mac’s nursery. My babies don’t like cold wipes touching their bottoms. I think a wipes warmer makes a great shower gift, but some moms don’t see this as a necessity.

Diaper Genie

I couldn’t live without our Diaper Genies. They really do the best job of keeping diaper odor inside. The liners are expensive but the Genie itself is pretty cheap.

Aden + Anais muslin blankets

These are the absolute best blankets for a variety of purposes. They’re great as nursing covers or to throw in the diaper bag. I don’t like to swaddle with them but many moms do. Bonus- they come in lots of cute designs.

SwaddleMe

This is probably my single favorite baby product. I stink at swaddling with actual blankets- I can never get them tight enough. You can cheat with the SwaddleMe because it has lots of velcro! I used these for the first three months with Julia and am already using them every night with Mac.

baby swing

It doesn’t matter what kind you get, but baby swings are pretty great. They can also be pretty expensive. I have a hand-me-down swing that is just fine. Julia only used it for the first couple of months. Mac naps in it a couple times a day, but who knows how long that will last. Not all babies like the swing.

WubbaNub

Julia never took a pacifier so this is definitely new territory for me. Mac likes his pretty well and the Wubbanub is great. The little animal can rest on his chest which helps keep the paci in his mouth. Maybe not a necessity, but it’s certainly nice to have.

Ergo carrier + newborn insert

I can’t say enough about the Ergo. I never wore Julia but I’ve been wearing Mac a lot. Often times the only way I can calm Mac down is to put him in the Ergo. He’ll fall asleep and then I transfer him to the swing or crib. It’s especially nice to have use of my hands with Julia running around. I can wear Mac and play with her, prepare meals, or clean.

There you have it. What’s on your list of newborn must haves?

The Duchess