Baby #2

Baby #2 is due January 29th.  I have mixed feelings about being a mom of 2.  I am so excited to have 2 little minions running around, creating shenanigans and  making me laugh.  I am also terrified that I will never leave the house and that I will become a crazy lady trapped alone with 2 kids under 3.  :)

More than anything, I am excited for Arlo to experience the joy of a sibling.  I am hopeful that at the very least they will both learn the delicate art of sharing and loving at a young age. Of course I have daydreams of them being best friends and wanting to play together.  There are definitely things I hope for, but I value my siblings mostly for the lessons they taught me and the moments we shared as young children.  I remember sharing bikes, food, friends, and attention.  Siblings are truly a gift that we don't appreciate until we are much older!

Here I am at 16 weeks, definitely bigger than my last pregnancy!  This baby comes with morning sickness and fatigue that started early and has seemed to lessen already. Yay for second trimester bliss.

We find out if we are having a boy or a girl in a few weeks and I can't wait!

Stay at Home Mom-hood

I recently decided to be a stay at home mom.  Before baby I was a pastry cook at a luxury resort.  I love baking and really loved my job.  Deciding to stay home was a huge decision and one I battled with during the whole pregnancy and the last 3 months.  The moment I decided to stay home I felt so much more relaxed.  No more trying to figure out a pump schedule, sleep schedule, work schedule, etc.  

(just a few of the things I LOVE and miss)

Why did I decide to stay home?  

The main reason I decided to stay home is because I want to raise my baby.  I don't want to put him in daycare, I want to be the one to play with him all day, put him down for naps, and feed him.  I know this is how mom's feel.  They want to experience life everyday with their little ones.  I am lucky enough that I have this choice, and it comes with sacrifices and compromise.  My husband decided to work a few extra shifts a month to help make up for my loss of income.  It has been well worth it from my point of view.  It gives me more time to care for our family and to watch our baby grow.  I think we both get more sleep this way.

With all of these changes in my life I have realized I am quickly becoming a sedentary log of a person that wakes up, plays, reads, feeds, and cares for a baby.  Then I am on repeat all day long.  We do get out of the house and we do a little more than that, but you get the idea.  It is so easy to get into a rut of doing nothing.  

This week I have started setting daily goals and have noticed a huge improvement.  The first thing I did was get a weekly/monthly planner.  I use it to write my daily and weekly goals down and to record what we did.  If we went to story time at the library, I write that down, if we watched 3 made for tv movies, I don't lie about it, in the book it goes.  This is a fun way for me to see what we have done throughout the week, and helps me set goals.

Here are my goals for next week:

-Go to story time at the Library

-Walk 4 times during the week

-Watch the sunset 3 times 

-Go swimming at least twice

-Sew 3 new things

-Cook something new

-Blog 3 times a week

I am trying to keep it simple.  My main goals are to be more social, active, and productive.  These are the little things I think will help achieve those larger goals.

What do you do to stay sane as a stay at home mom?

  

Bringing Home Baby

You did it.  You got through your 24 hour labor, excruciating contractions, hours of ice and popsicles and no food, and all the gory details that nobody wants to hear about.  Now it's time to bring your baby home.  Woo Hoo!  You feel excited, nervous, and can't believe you have a newborn to care for.

People will tell you that sleep is a thing of the past. You won't believe them, your baby is a little angel.  Right?  Get over it, sleep is overrated anyway.  ( You will tell yourself this.)  This new baby will sleep a few hours at a time at night, then wake up and want to stare into your eyes and cuddle.  You will start to believe that sleep really is a thing of the past. 

Here are 10 tips that helped us get through the first month.

1. Sleep when the baby sleeps.  Seriously, if that baby shuts its eyes, shut yours.  Don't worry about your tornado of a house.  Just enjoy the chance to sleep.

2. Babies cry.  Take a deep breath, swaddle, sway, feed, change, and hold the baby.  It will eventually stop crying, or fall asleep.

3. Sleep deprivation can turn you and your spouse into monsters.  Be nice to each other, you both deserve a positive team player on your side.

4. Repeat to yourself, "This too shall pass."  Babies grow up so fast!  In a few weeks, baby will be  getting used to your routine, and starting to sleep at night for longer stretches.

5. If someone offers to help, take it.  Ask for help grocery shopping, cleaning the kitchen, holding the baby, and anything else that would make you feel a little saner.  My mom stayed with us for the first week and that helped  a lot. 

6.  Newborns go through like 20 diapers a day.  They poop and pee non-stop.  My husband came home from the hospital, looked at me, and said, "I never want to change another diaper again."  I about peed my pants laughing.  It is just getting started.  We are nearing month 3 and down to about 8 diapers a day.  HUGE improvement.  It will get better.  Stock up on newborn diapers so you don't have to leave the house to get more when baby goes through 5 in an hour.

7. Take lots of pictures.  I feel like we took a ton, but I still wish we had more from when he was a week or two old.  They never look that sweet and precious again. 

8.  Pre-wash all the baby stuff that you will need for the first month before you bring the baby home.  I didn't have to do laundry for a while which was so nice.  I had extra crib sheets, burb cloths, tons of outfits, and swaddle blankets.  The last thing you want to be worrying about is laundry when you got 3 hours of sleep the night before.

9.  Get take-out.  Everyone says to cook before the baby comes and freeze meals.  Wellll...  I was exhausted from working all day and being 9 months pregnant and totally didn't do that.  What we did do was get lots of take-out.  Don't feel guilty.  Get delivery pizza, cheap Chinese food, and sandwiches.  When you do find time to cook, keep it simple.

10. Enjoy every minute.  Even when I wasn't sleeping more than 2 or 3 hours at night, I tried to remind myself to enjoy it.  All of these experiences are part of having a baby.  Not just the adorable newborn shots on your baby announcement, but the poop, sleep deprivation, and daily emotional rollercoaster.  Try to stay positive and remember what it is that is causing so much stress.  Your beautiful blessing of a baby. 

 Good Luck and enjoy the first month.  Every day after that will just get easier and easier.  

What Should I Register For?

All the excitement of being pregnant can lead to a little craziness when it comes to buying for baby. What do you REALLY need?  Here are some of the essentials that you won't want to leave off your baby registry.

 

 

#1: Stroller/car seat.  We went for the travel system which includes a car seat with the stroller. These are great but the car seat only goes up to 35 pounds so you might want to consider registering for another car seat like this one that goes up to 70 pounds too.  I love my stroller and I like being able to place the car seat on a shopping cart if I want too.

 

#2: Playpen/Pack and Play/Play Yard.  Whatever you call it, these are great for naps, to put in the bedroom, a trip to Grandma's house, or camping.  We use ours in our bedroom for now, it takes up less space than a crib and it has an attached changing table.  It also has a little storage area on the side where we put the diapers, wipes, and anything else for baby.

 

#3: Bouncer/Swing.  There are space saving bouncer and swing combos that can do both.  These are great because you don't have to have both items taking up room in your shrinking living space.  Baby stuff takes up a LOT of space, but you will want to have a few key items.  We got this one and he loves the little crab that plays music, but it isn't a combo, so we have a swing too.

 

#4: Changing Pad/Cover.  You will love having a place to change baby for the first few months.  Babies love to pee and poop while you are changing them, especially in the beginning, so save yourself some trouble and make a special place to change babies diapers.

 

#5: Highchair.  We registered for a highchair that reclines for infant seating as well as converts into a chair for the table.  This is nice because again it saves space and is economical.  He likes to sit in it while we eat dinner, which started around 2 months.

 

#6: Crib Sheets, Towels, Washcloths.  These are things you will use a lot!  We got a few really cute crib sheets, a few hooded towels, and about a dozen washcloths.  We use them everyday. 

 

#7: Baby Bath Items.  Some people don't use baby tubs at all, but I love mine.  I like it because my baby loves bath time and is really comfortable in it.  He can lounge back and enjoy his bath and I don't have to hold him the whole time.  Plus, this one converts from an infant tub to a bigger one when he can sit up.  You will also want baby shampoo and lotion to use.

 

#8: First Aid Gear.  We registered for a thermometer like this one and love it.  You could also register for some baby Tylenol, gripe water, etc.  These are things you really will use and will come in handy when you have a sudden fever or crying outbreak and you need some tylenol.

 

#9: Bottles, Bottle Rack, and Sanitizer.  If you are going to formula feed or pump and breastfeed, you will need bottles.  Having a few on-hand is nice, and a bottle rack and sanitizer make cleaning a breeze.  I love the bottle rack in the link above because I can leave it out and it isn't such an eye sore.

 

#10: Baby Monitor.  We got a video monitor and love it. You could register for a simple sound monitor, one that detects heart rate and movement, or go for the video.  I love being able to see if he is awake, breathing, or flailing about in his crib.

 

Where should you register?  Choose somewhere with an on-line site that people can view from their home.  It is also a good idea to choose somewhere affordable.  If you have high end stores you like you can register there in addition to a basic one. 

 

We registered at Target because it was really easy.  We registered on-line, but could visit the store to see products in person.  It also makes it easy for people to shop for you from your registry.  They have a kiosk in store to view the registry from, you can view it on-line, and as soon as an item is purchased it is removed from your list.  They also have sales fairly often, which helps.

 

What else should you put on your registry?  Make sure to have a variety of price points.  You don't want to have only really expensive items that people may not want to splurge for and vice versa.  You will need the small things too, and it gives everyone an opportunity to get you something from your registry.  Pick things you think you will actually use and skip registering for clothing and shoes.  Your family and friends will love shopping for little outfits and picking it out themselves.  Don't you?

 

 Think about versatility when registering/shopping.  How long can we use this item?  Does it convert to a larger fit for later on or will I have to buy another one?  For example: a car seat that goes up to 70 pounds, a highchair that turns into a booster, etc.

 

I hope this list helps you narrow down what to put on your registry.  We just kept thinking, if we can only have a few items, what do we really need?  It helped keep the list simple and just essentials.

Nursing Essentials

Nursing can be a challenge, but it can be rewarding too.  It is a personal choice and sometimes things don't work out, but if you do decide to nurse, here are a few things that might help.

(images from respective websites linked below)

#1: Lanolin.  I used this brand, but I am sure any would do.  Your nipples might get cracked and sore and this stuff helps so much.  You can use it without having to wipe it off before nursing too which makes life a little easier.

#2: Boppy or Nursing Pillow.  I love my Boppy.  We use it to prop baby up in to nap, you can use it for tummy time when they get a little older, and of course for nursing support.  It helps to have something to place your baby on, especially in the beginning.  There are a lot of other nursing pillows out there, I just chose this one because of it's popularity.

#3: Nursing Pads.  You are going to leak, it's just part of life as a nursing mom.  Nursing pads will help keep your clothes dry.  They slip right into your nursing bras and shouldn't be too noticeable.  I tried the Lansinoh, Tommee Tippee, Avent, and Johnson's ones.  I like the Johnson's ones the best, but you can try them and see which ones work for you.

#4: Nursing Tanks.  I got a few of the Target ones as a gift at my baby shower and I like them a lot.  I also got some at the Motherhood store.  They have cute colors that look like regular tank tops.  I like that about these, they look normal but allow you to nurse discreetly.

#5: A good book, a new tv show, or a lot of pinterest web surfing on your ipad.  You are going to be on the couch a lot whether you like it or not.  Enjoy it with a little entertainment.  Your baby is going to want to cuddle with you all day long.  Nurse, cuddle, nurse, cuddle, etc.  You will get up to change diapers a lot, but that is about it.  Settle in and enjoy relaxing. 

Remind yourself that it will get easier and think about all the money you are saving on formula.

Check back tomorrow for tips on what to register for.

What to Bring to the Hospital for Delivery

Having a baby is pretty exciting stuff.  Going to the hospital can be pretty scary though and you might be wondering what you will need when you get there.  Know this, all you really need is yourself and a support person.  Everything else is just going to make you more comfortable.

 

#1: A Robe (or pj's) and Slippers & Toiletries :  The first day you might enjoy wearing the hospital gown, but having your own clothes makes you feel a little more human.  Did you forget you would be spending the night? A toothbrush, deodorant, and some shampoo might be nice.

 

#2: Nursing bras or Nursing Tanks: Nursing your baby is so much easier if you bring the right stuff.  I wore my yoga pants and nursing tanks the whole time I was in the hospital.

 

 

#3: Nursing Pads and Lanolin: Nursing can be challenging and painful at first, this stuff will get you through it.

 

#4: Stuff for Baby: You really don't need anything, but it is fun to have an outfit to take them home in, mittens, and a hat or two.  You could also bring a piece of paper to get an extra footprint when they do them at the hospital.  Baby has diapers, wipes, blankets, etc. at the hospital so you don't really need those until you go home.

 

 

 

#5: Boppy Nursing Pillow: I loved having mine at the hospital.  It helped prop baby up and made for more comfortable nursing.

 

#6: Camera: You are going to want some pictures to capture this special day!  Don't forget to bring your camera, or your phone if you use that to take pictures.

 

#7: Entertainment and Snacks: You might be there a while.  Bring your ipad, magazines, a book, etc.  You will also want some yummy snacks for after the delivery.  Trust me, Oreo's never sounded so good after 24 hours of no eating!

 

#8: Phone: Make sure you bring your phone and charger.  Everyone is going to want to hear about the birth and check on you and the baby.  You or your support person might want to send out a text to let everyone know how things went after the baby is born.

 

#9: Going Home Outfit: Don't forget to pack something comfy and clean to go home in. A loose fitting skirt or yoga pants, a comfy nursing bra, and a baggy t-shirt work great.  Trust me, you won't want to be showing off your curves just yet.  I actually had people asking me when I was due for over a week after I gave birth.  Uh, awkward, "last week?"

 

#10: Car Seat for Baby: You won't be allowed to leave the hospital without it, so make sure you install the car seat around week 35 just to be safe.  One more thing checked off your list early.

 

 

These are the things I found most helpful to have with me at the hospital.  A positive attitude and patience would be helpful too. My labor was over 24 hours and we ended up staying for 6 days because our little guy was in the NICU.  Expect the unexpected and try to think about the end result, they are totally worth it.

Check back tomorrow for tips on nursing essentials.

 

 

 

Maternity Wardrobe Must Haves

When I was pregnant all I wanted was to be comfortable.  I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a wardrobe I was only going to wear a few months either.  Here are a few of the essentials that I invested in and decided I couldn't live without.  For about $200, you can have everything you need for the next 9 months.  Plus, I can still wear the skirt, yoga pants, bras, and some of the tees.

 

(images from respective web-sites linked below)

 

#1: I couldn't have made it through the winter without these maternity leggings.  I got them on sale at Kohl's and wore them non-stop.  They look good with long tops and stretchy dresses that are a little shorter with your pregnant belly.  They are super cozy and comfy too.  Expect to spend between $20-$30. 

 

#2: My mom convinced me to get a pair of yoga pants at Kohl's too and I am so glad I did.  I wore these around the house up until the day I had my baby.  Kohl's has great sales 90% of the time, so I wouldn't buy either of these full price.  I got mine at 40% off both pairs.  Maternity pants are ridiculously expensive, so check on-line and call around before you go shopping.  Expect to spend about $20-$40.

 

#3: My mother in law got me a few tee shirts from Gap Maternity and they were awesome to have.  I wore them with sweaters in the winter and by themselves when it got warmer.  They are comfortable and make your baby bump look super cute.  These are about $20 each, but you can find them on sale occasionally too.  I would recommend getting 2 or 3 of them since they work from day one up until your due date.

 

#4: I had a fold over maternity skirt from Old Navy that saved the day too.  I found mine at a thrift store, but you can get them for between 15 and 20 bucks and they come in all different colors.  I had a black one that I could wear with everything and loved it.

 

#5: I also had a pair of maternity jeans.  I got mine on sale, which I would definitely recommend as they can cost up to $60!  You can get a pair at Motherhood Maternity for around $40.  If you are bigger in the summer, I would pick up a pair of shorts from them too.  They have great sales year round and their styles are a little cuter than other places.  Kohl's has jeans and shorts too in a more "motherly" style.

 

#6:  One thing I was surprised to find was it was so hard to find a comfy bra.  I invested in a few nursing bras that I could wear to work, to sleep in, and then wear after baby was born too.  Don't go crazy as your bra size changes during your pregnancy, after birth, and then again while you are nursing.   These ones were my favorite, super comfortable and they stretch to accommodate your changing body.  They aren't pretty, but they work great, plus they are only $20.  Motherhood has nursing sales all the time too, buy 3 get one free.  So if you find something you like, buy one and try it, then you can take advantage of one of their sales and get one free.  It usually includes their tops too, which is nice.

 

My favorite maternity stores:

Old Navy (on-line)

Gap (on-line)

Kohl's (in store or on-line)

Motherhood Maternity (in store or on-line)

Local Thrift Stores: Usually there isn't much, but it's worth a shot.

Target (in store or on-line) for the occasional tank top or t-shirt

 

These shops had consistent sales, quality products, and had a pretty good variety of clothing.

 

I also got the most out of the clothes I had by wearing my pants with a hair tie around the button closure and wearing billowy tops and stretchy dresses.  I still "fit" most of my clothes until about month 5 or 6.  After that it was pretty impossible to wear anything I could have worn pre-pregnancy.

 

Good luck stocking your wardrobe and remember to accentuate your bump!  I felt huge most of the time and the tight tops showed off my bump and made me feel pregnant instead of fat.  I loved looking down and seeing my growing belly.

Check back tomorrow for tips on what to bring to the hospital.

Maternity and Motherhood Week

This week I am featuring all of the things I couldn't have done without through pregnancy, nursing, and the first months of motherhood. 

 

 

There are so many things to think about and every website will tell you to buy hundreds of dollars worth of stuff.  You really don't need much, but there are a few things that make life so much easier! 

 

 

Here is something simple you can do to help you remember your pregnancy.

I took pictures every few weeks in the same pose and shared them with friends and family with the week number.  I am 25 weeks here.  I didn't bother wearing the same outfit for the photos since nothing fits consistently and it is just a hassle, but some people wear the same top in every shot. 

 

 After baby was born, I made a book called "From Belly to Birth" with all the belly pictures in it and wrote down what I was craving, if I felt movement, and what I was feeling.  I also included photos from his first sonogram and his birth.  I read it to baby all the time and he will surely love looking at it as he gets older. 

 

 

I used an app on my ipad called ScrapPad to make pages like this with the pictures during my pregnancy.  It helped me keep track of all the foods baby was craving, if I could feel him moving, and what week each photo was from.  I included a few of these in the little book I made him too.

 

Check back tomorrow for a full post on getting through your pregnancy with just a few items in your repertoire.

 

 

 

36 WEEKS pregnant

So far, so good.  I am 36 weeks pregnant.  I feel pretty good and am still working (yay!).  My only complaints are swollen sore feet, and I guess I have that pretty mild too.  Lucky me.  I feel bad for women that get it really bad because I think it hurts enough already.  The baby feels huge inside my belly and I can't imagine another 4 weeks of growing!

These were taken at 30 weeks. I thought I was big then...

I love being able to watch him grow each week.  From this point on, I think he will just keep getting pointier.  :)  I can't wait to wear regular clothes again.  I have a few cute maternity outfits, but I am getting tired of wearing the same thing everyday!  Hurry up baby boy and meet your family.  We are ready whenever you are...