Three Weeks In, and We're Hitting it Out of the Park

This week was a mix of coziness and little adventures, with a few challenges sprinkled in. It all started with a cold that Alison had shaken off just in time for me to catch it. Thankfully, our little Mads has managed to stay healthy so far. Fingers crossed it stays that way. Luckily, the cold wasn’t too bad for either of us.

Monday was a laid-back day. Both Alison and I were a bit tired, especially after Madeline had a rough night, waking up often and needing lots of attention. It was one of those slow, snuggly days. Madeline spent most of the morning wrapped up in a blanket, happily lounging as a “naked baby,” and we soaked up every cuddle. By the afternoon, we dressed her in the cutest little purple outfit, although we were starting to notice that she was outgrowing some of her newborn clothes already. Watching her grow so fast is bittersweet—while we love seeing her change, we’re definitely going to miss those tiny, squishy newborn days.

One of the highlights of the week was working on booking Madeline’s first international trip. We’re taking her to Denmark and Greece next year! Planning this trip was a fun project, and we even used ChatGPT to help us out. It generated a rough itinerary, and as we booked things and tweaked plans, we built on it. It’s been exciting watching everything come together. We can’t wait to see how our little world traveler handles her first big adventure.

Tuesday was a special day—Alison had her two-week follow-up appointment with Naima, our midwife. We were so excited to bring Madeline to show her off now that she’s a little older. Alison got a clean bill of health, which was great to hear. We even snagged a photo of Naima with Mads, which was a perfect way to celebrate the midwife who helped bring our baby girl into the world.

Later that day, we ran a few errands. We stopped by Blake and Debbie’s house to print documents for Madeline’s passport, but she was in a bit of a mood, and even Nana and Papa couldn’t work their magic. We also visited Kristin’s house to drop off a contribution for her kids’ jog-a-thon. This was Madeline’s first visit there, and Auntie Kristin’s snuggles were just what Mads needed to feel better.

That night, Madeline fell asleep on my chest, and we let her stay there for a while because she looked so peaceful. It was one of those perfect moments where nothing else matters. Plus, the Yankees were playing a late game on the West Coast, so we had the perfect excuse to stay cozy on the couch. The Yankees won 11-2, making it an even better night.

Wednesday was memorable for a different reason—Madeline had her first blowout! We were snuggling on the couch when I felt something wet and quickly realized what had happened. Alison and I teamed up to clean her up, and we decided it was a good time for a bath. She wasn’t a big fan of the bath this time, but at least she was clean and fresh afterward. We dressed her in the same outfit we brought her home in from the hospital. She’s growing so fast that this might be the last time she fits into it, which makes it all the more special.

Wednesday night was sushi night. With the craziness of bringing Mads home, I wasn’t sure I’d have time to make my signature dish this month, but I’m glad I did. I got ambitious and made four different rolls: a California roll, a Philadelphia roll, a dragon roll, and a Vegas roll. I might have gone a little heavy on the rice, but it was still a fun and delicious night.

Since I wasn’t feeling great earlier in the week, we skipped our morning walks and opted for afternoon ones instead. The cooler weather was perfect—it really felt like fall had arrived. These family walks are quickly becoming a favorite part of our day.

We continue to build on Madeline’s daily tummy time routine. After her tummy time, we flipped her over on her play mat and she was very happy and interested in her play mat. We had fun watching her fascination with the toys and seeing her reach for them. 

After tummy time we covered her car seat with a sheet and worked on taking a passport photo. It seemed like the perfect time since she was alert. She stayed happy enough for me to snap a few photos. One of them should work.

Thursday morning, Mads woke up around 7:30 a.m., and I took her downstairs to hang out. She surprised me by falling asleep hard and staying out until after Alison woke up around 11 a.m. It was a win for all of us—Alison got some extra sleep, and I got a few hours of snuggles. We spent the rest of the day watching the Yankees try for a sweep against the Mariners. Unfortunately, they lost 3-2, but hey, sweeping a team at their home park is always tough.

Friday was quite the day! Mads had a great night, waking up only once around 3 a.m., and then for good around 6:40 a.m. Alison and I didn’t sleep as well, but we stayed up and enjoyed some lazy time in bed until 9:40-ish. After that, we had to get up because our cleaning lady was here to work her magic—something our house desperately needed.

The afternoon was all about photos. Our photographer sent us the birth and fresh 48 photos, and we are absolutely obsessed. They’re more than we could have hoped for, capturing one of the most significant days of our lives. Sara, our photographer, even came by to take newborn photos, and we’re confident she got some amazing shots. We can’t wait to see them.

Friday night was the real highlight of the week—Madeline’s very first baseball game! We took her to see the Salt Lake Bees play the Oklahoma City Baseball Club. Not only was this one of the last games of the season, but it was also the third-to-last game that the Bees will play at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City before they move to their new home in Daybreak. As excited as we are to have baseball within walking distance of our house, it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to Smith’s Ballpark. It’s where so many of my own baseball memories began. I still remember sitting behind home plate one summer with my buddy Josh—his dad’s company had amazing seats, and that’s where interest in baseball really began to take root.  began to learn the intricacies of the game, that I would come to love a couple short years later when I fell in love with Alison. I’m beyond thrilled that Madeline got to attend her first pro game here, and while she may not remember it, this is where the love of baseball may begin for her, too.

Taking a three-week-old to a baseball game felt a little ambitious, but we knew this was one of our last chances to get her to a game this season. Alison’s family decided to join us, which meant we had plenty of support. We even came prepared with baby ear protection to keep her little ears safe. Alison set a goal for us to make it through two innings, and in true Madeline fashion, she completely surpassed that—making it through all nine innings like a champ! I couldn’t have been prouder.

Madeline slept through most of the game, including her first produce race and the seventh-inning stretch, where Utah legend Frank Layden led the crowd in "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." Alison and I sang along while Mads continued to snooze. She even got to witness her first Bees victory as they won 6-4! It was such a fun night, surrounded by family, celebrating three wonderful weeks with our sweet girl.

When we first arrived at the stadium, Madeline got a little fussy, so I took her to change her diaper. It turned out I had put her ear protection on upside down, which was bugging her, so I fixed that, gave her a binky, and swaddled her. Once she was calm and cozy, she stayed that way, soaking up all the snuggles from me, her mom, her aunt, and her nana. Around the sixth inning, she got a bit hungry, and Alison fed her. Side note—disappointingly, Smith’s Ballpark has no designated breastfeeding facilities. When Alison called ahead to ask, they suggested using the bathroom, which, no thanks. She ended up feeding Mads in her seat, which worked out fine, but she submitted feedback requesting breastfeeding spaces at the new ballpark in Daybreak. Regardless, it was such a special night, and we couldn’t have asked for a better way to cap off the week. It’s moments like these that we’ll treasure forever—sharing something we love with the newest love of our lives.