Hello Again!

It has been nearly a year since my last blog post. In that time, my family has went through so many changes. My husband was medically retired from the Army and we decided to make our move from Georgia to Colorado, where my husband is from. My daughter is now 16 months old and is now into toddler-hood. I started up my bow-making business...and it is steady. And NOW I am getting geared up for the holidays. I love this time of year! I want to share all that we have done this last year and I will... post, by post. Thanks for stopping by!

Tina's Top Picks for Baby (0-3 mo)

Selecting items to put on your baby registry is such an overwhelming experience for first-time moms. First, you select all the things that the baby NEEDS (crib, car seat, diapers, etc). That's the easy part! Then comes what you would like to have. I made a list of everything I would like to have and then started researching reviews for the best brand/kind there was of that item. Then, which one of the highest review was the least expensive? That's how I decided on everything for our daughter.

I have compiled a list of baby items that were NOT necessities but made life a lot easier with our daughter. I am so thankful we did get these items!

 1. BRIGHT STARTS BOUNCY CHAIR When we first brought our daughter home, we found out quickly that she would only sleep at an incline for the first several weeks. So, we let her sleep in this bouncy chair the first several weeks. CLICK HERE

• She seemed so cozy in this chair and I owe that to the attachment piece that contours the baby's body. This piece also comes off easily once the baby gets too big for it.
•  It also has a vibration switch and musical switch. It operates off of batteries.
• When she was awake, I would pull the 'cover' down so that the bird and flower entertained her. This was the first thing she ever 'batted' at. When she slept, I pushed the 'cover' above her head. This piece can also be removed easily.
• It also has two different incline adjustments and a comfortable strap. 
• And I should mention, it was extremely easy to put together!  
• This chair is also lightweight and can be moved anywhere in the house easily. When I am home alone with my daughter, I set it on the floor in the bathroom while I take my shower and I know she is ok.

 2. SOUND MACHINE I actually heard of the white noise machine from another parent who said it was a must-have! Since I had never heard of it, I got the cheapest one there was just to try out. I found one for $10 at Target. It's actually a travel one. It's small and runs off of batteries. My daughter sleeps SO GOOD with this machine. It has several different settings (rain, heartbeat, ocean, white noise). It also has a timer (15min, 30 min, 45 min). The heartbeat doesn't do a thing for her but the other noises work wonderfully. The one downside to this is that it is battery operated. I am now looking for a machine that I can plug in since we use it so much. When my husband gets up for work, I have him turn on the machine again so that she doesn't wake while he gets ready. It works wonderful. Definitely a must have!

3. WIPE WARMER This was actually not on my registry, as I didn't see the need. It seemed like such a luxury. My aunt actually gave it to me as a baby shower gift and so I put it on the changing table. My daughter is one that does NOT like having her diaper changed. I think it is mostly because of the cold wipes. But, when I change her upstairs, where she has the wipe warmer, she doesn't create such a fuss. It is easy to use. The directions are easy. It does require a bit of 'upkeep'. You have to wet the pad in the bottom once a week and replace with a new pad every 3 months. I haven't had an issue yet and it's not an inconvenience at all. CLICK HERE

4. NURSING PILLOW (BOPPY) Oh my! I have TWO. One upstairs, one downstairs. AMAZING! AND, it can be used for more than just nursing. CLICK HERE

• Use for nursing. I am still using mine to nurse our 3 1/2 month old daughter. 
• Use for sleeping. Like I said before, our daughter only wanted to sleep at an incline. Once we figured out we could lay her on it, we put the Boppy inside her crib and put her on it to sleep!
• Use for sitting up. Whenever we have her on our bed (which we do when we are getting ready for the day or folding laundry) we put her on it so she can't roll side to side and she can still see us.
• Use as an 'arm-rest'. When our daughter falls asleep against our chest, our arms become tired from holding her, so we put the Boppy underneath our arms and it provides support!

 5. BATHTUB Some parents use a sink, some use a BIG wash-tub. I went ahead and got the Baby Bathtub. Giving her a bath was something that was the most challenging for me. I was so scared to handle her while she was slippery wet. This tub made it easy! CLICK HERE

• It's a 'Grow-with-me' tub. It has a sling for babies 0-3 months. Then, you can remove the sling and insert another piece for when they are 3-6 months. After that, you can use it up until they outgrow it or are ready for the big bathtub. 
• It fits onto a standard kitchen sink. YAY! So, it grips the sink and it won't slide right off the counter.
• It has a drain in the bottom.
• The price isn't bad either!

6. CLOSET ORGANIZER Well, you already know I'm all about organization! I couldn't afford one of those closet 'systems' but I found the next best thing at Babies-R-Us. I absolutely love it. Nothing else to say. It was definitely worth the money. CLICK HERE

7. CLOTH DIAPERS Nope, you have got it all wrong.... my baby dons the disposables! I use cloth diapers as burp cloths. They aren't as expensive as those fancy-shmansy (yep, locate that one in your Webster) burp cloths. Also, bleach is your friend. You can bleach them over and over again. And last but not least- don't throw them out once baby has outgrown  the spit-up phase - use them as dust rags!

8. BREAST PUMP I can not imagine self-pumping. When I found out that was an option, I was like "say whaaaa?" Not this lady. After a week of breastfeeding, my nipples were in so much pain. They needed a chance to recuperate. So, I started pumping and my nipples felt so much better. I pumped for 24 hours and then started nursing again. I waited a few days for the pain to return, once it did, back on the pump I went. So, having the pump definitely saved me from throwing in the towel altogether on breastfeeding because I was definitely at Witt's End. CLICK HERE

9. SLEEP POSITIONER I'm not exactly sure what it is called but I love it. This was a hand-me-down item from my sister's children.

• No risk or rolling over. When we started putting Autumn-Skye down in her crib, I had no worries of her rolling over. 
• The pieces are adjustable so that you can adjust them to your baby's body. 
• It has a slight incline. Just enough to help with reflux issues (which is common in infants)

10. SLEEPER GOWNS These are amazing!! Get them!I have lots. CLICK HERE

• Fold-over mitts to keep baby from scratching face during the night.
• Elastic bottom for easy changing!
• We have the Carter's brand in 0-6 mo. My daughter is nearly 6 months and still wearing the same ones we had her in at birth. They don't outgrow as quickly as footed PJ's.

Father's Day

This year was my husband's FIRST Father's Day. So, you know it had to be special. Our daughter was born 4 days before Father's Day and we came home from the hospital the day before. It worked out perfectly.

My friends looked at my pictures from that day and were amazed at how I got it all thrown together just a day after coming home from the hospital and having a newborn to tend to. My reply - PLAN AHEAD. I had everything bought and all decorations made a month ahead of time.

While browsing Pinterest, I found this Father's Day idea - SUPER DAD! How appropriate for my husband who was such a trooper for my daughter and I during labor, delivery, and thereafter. HERE was my inspiration.

I jacked the idea and took off running! I searched for anything and everything I could find Super-hero related to gather different ideas. I found LOTS! ...and here is what come of it -

The BANNER - I found a Superman Font online. If you print it in large letters and get some construction paper, voila!

I found these Dad's Root Beers at the Dollar Tree. If you google the root beer, go to the website. It will give you the option to enter your zip code and gives a listing of the stores in your area that sell it.

 ...and for the cupcake toppers. So CUTE! CLICK HERE for the FREE topper printables. The cake stand is Martha Stewart. Yellow/White paper straws were purchased through Etsy. I got basic white cupcakes at Wal-Mart and the sprinkles were in the baking section of Wal-Mart - How appropriate right?

 Another awesome find! ...and of course, FREE printables. CLICK HERE 

I found the box at A.C. Moore.

 










We made him cook the burgers...but he didn't seem to mind!

It was such a wonderful day!

Brownies

I was visiting my Grandma Samm recently and she made brownies to die for. She said she found the recipe through something Paula Deen. So Simple and cheap, cheap! Did I mention cheap?

Ingredients:

1 box brownie mix
6 milk chocolate bars
everything it calls for to make the brownies

Prep the brownie mix per directions on the back of box (I did mine to get fudge-like brownies).

Pour half of the brownie mix into a baking dish. Use whatever size and dish you want. We are keeping this simple remember?

Then layer the milk chocolate bars on top of the brownie mix.

Add the remaining brownie mix on top and cover evenly. Pop in the oven and cook according to brownie box directions.

Let the brownies cool almost completely before you cut. Enjoy!

30 Things to Know Before Baby Arrives

I know I posted on this previously...but after a little more reading and research, there was a lot that I didn't touch on that is still SUPER important and maybe helpful to first-time Moms.

So, here ya go-

MEAL PLAN You won't feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen the first few weeks baby is here. If a neighbor or friend says to you "let me know if I can do anything to help," take advantage! Ask if they can bring a dish over one day once you are home from the hospital. Also, you can find lots of recipes that can be prepped and frozen ahead of time. Get as many that will fit in your freezer ahead of time! CLICK HERE for lots of meal ideas... this woman has lots of freezer meal ideas and they look delish!

BOTTLE STATION I am all about organization and making things EASY! I cleared a cabinet and some counter space in my kitchen just for the bottles. Before baby arrived, I cleaned them all up and organized. I have an absorbent drying mat (CLICK HERE) which I LOVE and my green grass drying rack (CLICK HERE). I hate those turn-a-bouts. Also, inside the cabinet I taped directions and a chart with directions...this really helped the family out too when they helped with feedings!

CHANGING STATIONS I have an upstairs and downstairs. Call me lazy if you want, but I didn't want to take the little one all the way upstairs every time I had to change her. So, upstairs she has her changing table, and downstairs I have a diaper caddy (CLICK HERE). In the caddy, I have wipes, wipe refills, diapers, baby lotion, q-tips, rubbing alcohol, a spare onesie, Desitin cream, nasal aspirator, thermometer, hairbrush, and a multi-use changing pad. It has REALLY came in handy. It was so smart. Mine holds 10+ diapers. That isn't much so I just refill every night before I go up to bed. It works out great.

PUMP STATION If you choose to breastfeed, you may consider getting a pump at some point or another. My sister's best friend GAVE me her Avent Breast Pump. I got SO lucky! So, in my living room, at one end of the couch is my designated 'Pump Spot'. It is comfortable and conveniently right next to the kitchen. I have my pump set up with Lanolin, burp cloth to keep on my lap ... for those occasional milk droplets... and coaster for my water. Breastfeeding makes you EXTREMELY thirsty! I would suggest having a table at your pump spot to keep these things on. 

MOMMY MEDICINE CHART When you leave the hospital, you will have several medicines to take...more if you aren't so lucky. Between keeping track of your medicine and the baby's feedings and diaper changes, you will not remember times without writing them down! The baby will let you know if he/she is hungry and needs to feed but no one will remind you when to take your medicine so set an alarm on your phone if you have to! Also...do something like this:

FEEDING CHART My daughter is 6 weeks old and I STILL use a feeding chart. I found it helpful for several reasons - when multiple people are helping changing and feeding, it's easy to lose track of when the baby ate last and how often he/she is having a wet and dirty diaper. Why is this important? If there is a problem and you need to contact the Doctor, one of the questions will most likely be "How many times a day does your baby have a wet/dirty diaper?" You really want to be able to answer this. Also, knowing when and how much she was eating helped me determine a feeding routine/schedule that met the demands of my little one. You can find a feeding chart HERE. Or, create one yourself to meet your needs.

PACK A NOTEBOOK for the hospital. Go ahead and write down things to remember such as "Doctor/nurses to remember," "Height/Weight/Time of birth," and "Remember to get extra feet prints!" Also, this notebook will be good to write down questions that you have for the doctor/pediatrician next time that they make rounds.

PARENTING CLASSES Being military, my husband and I were able to attend SO MANY classes for FREE! Ask your doctor's office if they have any classes available. 

CHOOSING A PEDIATRICIAN This is a big one. Contact all of the Peds offices in your area and ask if they have a New Parent Orientation night. Most Pediatric offices have a night designated for expectant parents. The Pediatricians are available to you for questions and to introduce themselves. They will also give you a tour of the facility and sometimes give out great material on their practice. 

BLEEDING AFTER BIRTH Just in case you don't already know, you are going to bleed after giving birth. It will be a heavy period for at minimum the first few days after birth. First some women, this extends up to 6 weeks, maybe more...eeek! For some lucky ladies (like me), the heavy bleeding tapers off after several days. The hospital provides you with heavy pads. Snatch them to take home if you can. They are great. Also, if you have a vaginal delivery, ask for witchhazel pads and ice packs...oh yeah, and numbing spray.... ask the nurse, I'm not explaining :)! If you have any lacerations/tears, ask about a Sitz Bath and a donut to sit on. I was given both of these for my hospital stay and was able to take it home with me. Can you say 'thankful'? I was so glad I had these. Oh yeah, If you are going to wear jumbo pads and ice packs, have someone run out and get you some cheap panties from Wal-Mart that are a size too big. You will know why I said this when the time comes.

TAKING CARE OF MOMMY Make sure you are taking care of yourself. At least once a day, pull yourself away, have someone keep an eye on the baby right after one of her feedings and get a long shower. Remember not to let the hot water beat directly on your breasts if you are breastfeeding.  Brush your teeth, brush your hair, moisturize, and put on some clean clothes. You will feel like a new woman! Also, keep up with your medicines and make sure you are eating and staying hydrated.

GET HELP You might think you are Superwoman...ask me how I know... but you aren't. You will be exhausted the first few weeks after birth. Ask for help. I am very in control of my household (loading the dishwasher, folding clothes...my way). After we brought little one home, I didn't care if it got done my way...the right way... or not. I was just thankful for the help! 

DIAPER CHANGING...oh joy!

BABYMOON Maybe you haven't heard of this but a 'Babymoon' is a vacation taken by a couple that is expecting a baby in order to allow the couple to enjoy a final trip together before the many sleepless nights that usually accompany a newborn baby. If you google this, several destinations pop up. There are many hotels that now have a Babymoon Package. They ARE expensive, I won't lie. I planned our own though. I found a great hotel in Jacksonville, Florida for two nights. It was a great deal. Then, a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant and a couple's massage. It was a lot cheaper since we planned our own.

ON BECOMING BABY WISE (YOUR INFANT AND THE GIFT OF NIGHTTIME SLEEP) I wish I had found and read this book BEFORE I brought little one home but I thought I had it all figured out... little did I know! I didn't realize how important it was for a baby to be on a feeding schedule. The key to night time sleep has everything to do with scheduling and routine. This book lays it all out for you. I took so many notes reading this book and I periodically go over my notes when I feel like her schedule is slipping or she hits a growth spurt and feedings may change. This book is amazing. I can not stress it enough! There are several different Baby Wise books. I read the nighttime sleep one. I am sure the others are just as helpful. It took 2 weeks of the same routine every night to get my daughter sleeping at night. (Bath, into sleeper outfit, feed, burp, a bedtime story while rocking, down in the crib...she's out within 10 minutes)

DATE NIGHT When is it 'too soon'? I don't know. Some parents wait months before going out. My husband and I went out when our daughter was two weeks old. Some might think that is too soon. I fed the little one before we left the house. My mom was here...if it was just any 'ole babysitter, I probably wouldn't have left her home so soon. I pumped a bottle and put it in the fridge just in case I wouldn't be back in time for the next feeding. My husband and I went to a restaurant 5 minutes from the house, then for frozen yogurt and then back to the house. We were actually back before the next feeding. It is good to get out and talk without any distraction. Also, it did a lot for my mood just to put on a nice dress, jewelry and make up. It was nice...and we didn't even call to check on her. I knew she was in good hands and I knew my Mom would call if anything were wrong.

GET OUT OF THE HOUSE (WITH BABY) While my Mom and Husband were home with me the first few weeks, I tackled getting out of the house WITH baby. I knew I needed getting the hang of doing it on my own but I didn't want to feel overwhelmed the first time. So, I tackled it while I had help. Each time it got easier and easier. Now, I feel confident doing it all by myself. We went to Wal-Mart, the grocery store, the mall, for ice cream.

DOCUMENT THE PREGNANCY We found out early on that we were pregnant. We immediately went to the bookstore looking for reading material. I found pregnancy journals for expectant moms to document their pregnancies. There were several. I found one that I fell in love with and bought it. I go back now and read it and it brings tears to my eyes. It's especially great for someone who isn't very crafty or doesn't have time to create an elaborate scrapbook. All you do is fill in the blanks and add pictures... VOILA!

DOCUMENT THE FIRST YEAR Have you given any thought to how you will document the first year? There are many, many milestones that you won't want to forget! I have the 2nd book to The Belly Book, called My Baby Book. It's great. Although I have this to document all of her milestones, I want to create a scrapbook. I don't always have the time but I have a 'system' to make it easier when I do have the time. For each idea page that I have, I take the pieces of memorabilia (cards, flowers, etc), jot down a few notes about the event/day and then put the pictures into a Ziploc bag and stick it into my scrapbook box. Now, when I go to scrapbook, all I have to do is pull out a bag and get started. Keeps me from searching the entire house for memorabilia and if I have the notes written, I don't have to worry about forgetting those details I want to document!

NEWBORN PHOTOS Have you thought about it? It is best to do this within the first 7-10 days of life. I wouldn't wait until the last minute to schedule. They were a little pricey for me so I read up on taking my own photos. I thought I did a decent job...what do you think?

BABY ANNOUNCEMENTS ok... times have changed. You can announce with a quick text or on Facebook now-a-days but we decided to go with a more traditional way. In an expectant Mother gift package that I received at Motherhood Maternity, I received a coupon from Shutterfly for $20 toward Birth Announcements. They were BEAUTIFUL and such a great quality. These were about $2.09 each. We needed more than the $20 worth so it was more money. But, there are a few one-hour photo's around that have Birth Announcements for $.14 each. Who can complain about that?

BABY ROOM It doesn't have to be fancy. Baby will not care or much less remember the beautiful drapes and expensive furniture. Get the basics if you are on a budget. Me? I had a budget but I still came through with a beautiful baby room. I knew I would be spending A LOT of time in there with baby so I wanted it cozy. Think of the atmosphere you want when picking out beautiful things to fill the nursery.

BIRTH PLAN You may have in your head EXACTLY how you want your Labor & Delivery to go. Have you discussed this with your Doc? Although it may not go as planned for unforeseeable reasons, still have a plan and write it down. An example of one is FOUND HERE. You want something easy to read for the hospital staff. I actually condensed mine to one page. Make sure you go over this with your spouse and your doctor/midwife ahead of time. Make sure they put a copy into your file and keep two copies in your hospital bag for when you arrive at the hospital D-Day :)

DE-TAG, WASH AND SORT BABY CLOTHES Well, I suggest doing this for all BUT Newborn clothes. Luckily I didn't have too many newborn sizes...What can I say, I was smart... but my daughter completely skipped Newborn sizing and went right into 0-3 months at 9lbs, 2oz. Would have been nice to still have tags on it and take it back to the store. Keep baby's sensitive skin in mind and wash everything in Dreft (or another brand that is sensitive on skin). It took me an entire day to wash up all sheets, clothing, blankets, socks...then fold and organize by size. So glad I did. I couldn't imagine waiting until the baby arrives to do this. 

ADDRESS SPREADSHEET I created an address list of all of our family and friends that I wanted Birth Announcements to go to. I set it aside along with some stamps. Once the baby arrived and the announcements arrived via mail, I got my handy-dandy list, addressed and stamped, and out they went. Super-Dooper easy!

FINDING OUT GENDER Do you want to find out? There are many popular ways to find out the gender of your baby.  I didn't want to find out precious news in a hospital exam room that is smaller than my bathroom. This was special news for my husband and I and we wanted to share this with our close family and friends. We decided to have a gender reveal party and cut into a cake, revealing pink or blue. It was amazing and emotional for all! Look up more on gender reveal parties HERE.

BREASTFEEDING SHIRT/BRAS My breasts didn't get large until AFTER my milk came in. They weren't big at all during pregnancy. So, before D-Day I went to Target and bought one nursing cami for the hospital (I only got one because I wasn't sure what size I would need once my milk came in). Then, I bought several from Wally World once I had the little one. I faithfully wear my yoga pants and a nursing cami every day....don't judge.CLICK HERE

QUESTIONS FOR THE DOC Once you come home from the hospital, you will have lots of questions/concerns about your body, which is adjusting FAST, and your baby. There were several times I called the pediatrician and even took the baby in. But there were some questions that I could wait to ask at the postpartum check (for myself) and the 2 week check (for baby). I kept a piece of paper on the fridge and wrote down the questions I wanted to ask at those checks. It really came in handy!

PARENTING CLASSES Ask your OB if there are any parenting classes available in your area. I know with the Military, I attended lots of FREE classes with ACS. Take advantage. I took every class available excluding the breastfeeding class and oh how I wish I had!

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING (by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel). Even if you are a first time mom, EVERYone has heard of this book. It is amazing! I read it throughout the pregnancy TWICE. This book has lots of information and FAQ's that you are probably wondering about but may be embarrassed to ask. AND...go ahead and get What to Expect the First Year while you are at it.

THE PREGNANT BODY Another book? I know! My husband and I looked forward to this book every Monday night. ( Monday introduced us to a new week in the pregnancy!) This book is expensive but totally worth it in my opinion. It also comes with the DVD which we did look at from time to time. Next time you are in the book store, check it out to see if you will like it before buying since it's so pricey. I thought it was cool to know what was happening with my pregnant body.

Well, there ya have it! I hope the first timers can take something away from this. Congrats and good luck!