10 month review *warning this is more emotional than informative

Nico turned 10 months old two days ago. It's unbelievable to think he is going to be a year old sooner rather than later! It's a little bittersweet, not gonna lie. I still think of him as my little baby but he physically is so big and can do so much. He gives me that "thanks mom but i can do this by myself" look at least twice a day. I've gone from his sole source of entertainment to his entertainment director to his "ok, don't eat that, don't touch that, do you want this, don't you wanna play with me" person. Some times I think he would be totally content if I just left him to play on his own in his room. And if I had baby proofed it and removed all the choking hazards then he probably would be fine. He cries sometimes when I walk out of the room still. But if someone else is there than he can usually be distracted and stops crying within 2 minutes. Don't get me wrong, I think this independence is great, but once in a while I wish he would cuddle or want to play with me more often, be a little more dependent just a little bit. I guess that's what being a mom is all about. (I can't believe I'm having the "let them fly" speech at 10 months old!) You care for them, teach them, support them, all so they can go out and do it all on their own, right?! My aunt's family watch him last week so the hubby and I could go to dinner. They told me he took his first steps. Part of me was excited but most of me just brushed it aside because I know his first steps are going to be with me, no matter what anyone else says or sees. But I really don't want him to walk yet. All day I think, it would be so cool if he could just follow me around or walk from here to there but at the end of the day I'm glad he's still crawling.
He is starting to prefer trying to do things on his own which is cute. Sometimes time consuming but hey it's not like I have anything better to do than watch him smash pieces of sweet potato across the high chair tray. It's fun to watch him try to figure things out. I'm so lucky that I'm a stay at home mom and can take all the time I want. I did have to remind myself today that it doesn't really matter how much of that food is on the tray/floor/clothes/hair/dog and how much actually made it to his mouth. That it's about the process. He is not going to starve even if that was the only thing I fed him for dinner (which it wasn't). It's easy to get stuck in a routine: breakfast is half a jar of food, a cracker and juice. Everyday, same thing, different flavor. But it's ok if one day I just let him attempt getting toast pieces into his mouth, even if that's all I give him it's ok. He nurses before his nap an hour later and he will make up for a small breakfast with the rest of his meals. Same with his naps. I was so obsessed about making sure he gets enough sleep. I realized that I would go 2 days without leaving the house simply because I didn't want to mess up his nap schedule. Not like I really have anywhere to go but geez even just go for a walk or the mall or grocery store. Family came into town and blew my schedule out of the water. We didn't get home til 2 hours after his bed time, missed naps all together....blah blah blah. He loves spending time with the family. Yes, he was a little more clingy and fussy a few times but didn't have a melt down and the day after they all left he went right back to his nap schedule! (well, by day 2 he was back into napping at the same times). I was so impressed. It helped show me that we can go out and do things. Explore, hang out and Nico will be fine. *I fully believe in getting enough sleep and keeping a nap schedule but I'm saying missing a few or adjusting every now and then is good too.

Baby nails

A quick note since I haven't posted in a while...

Moms should get an award for being brave and nimble enough to cut baby nails. When you first see baby clippers you can't believe how cute and small they are. When you first see the clippers next to your new baby's hand you can't believe how anyonr manages to clip baby nails with this chainsaw!

Best advice I ever received was to use a NAIL FILE NOT CLIPPERS!!  I thought the women was crazy. I rarely file my own nails but when it came time to cut Nico's nails for the first time I was too scared to use clippers! I was so glad I had files and it made so much more sense. It takes a little bit longer but I can't imagine using clippers on a baby under 2 months old.

Step 1: Make sure baby is sleeping. Really sleeping. I found that I have to get all nails done at the same time, no doing 2 now and 2 later. By the time you get all them done it will be time to do the first ones over again.

Step 2: Position baby so they're sitting with their back on your stomach. Sort of like spooning but while you're sitting. This way the angle will be similar to doing your own nails.

Step 3: Start at one pinky and work all the way to the other pinky on the other hand. (I have had success doing toes in the car seat )

Step 4: Carefully put baby down to continue napping and go relax :)

I did start using clippers when Nico was 3 months old. It simply took too long to file down his nails once they hardened up. Yes, it was terrifying but it gets easier.

*Once Nico started taking a bottle before bed and can hold the bottle with one hand, I started cutting his nails then. He's calm because he has a bottle and he's focused on holding the bottle so I can easily, but quickly, cut the free hand and switch. As he got older and faster, I had to do one hand during nap time bottle and the other hand during bedtime bottle because he would finish the bottle before I could start on the 2nd hand.

I  have Safety 1st Baby Clippers, they have a light so I can use them in the dark. It took a little getting used to because it's a little wider than other clippers. They are hard to use for toes but are great for fingers.

http://www.amazon.com/Safety-1st-Sleepy-Baby-Clipper/dp/B001579YRM

Nursery Set Up

There are a million websites and people who will tell you what you "need" for your nursery. They'll tell you to set it up and decorate and have everything baby proofed and blah blah blah. Well, in case you haven't gotten it yet, I'm a "do it as you go" kinda girl, and nursery prep was no different. I knew my newborn was going to sleep in a pack n' play next to our bed in our room. I didn't experience "nesting instincts" because we moved, to a different state, a month before I was due. I was too busy trying to get myself comfortable to worry about getting a baby, who hasn't arrived yet, ready. My method would freak some (type A) women out. Some people need to feel prepared in order to feel "ready". I don't. I was ready for the baby as soon as I had a box of newborn and size 1 diapers (never know how big the cutie is gonna be), wipes, a bed (pack n play), baby wash, a washcloth, swaddle cloths and a few onesies. Seriously, that's all I needed. Thanks to my baby showers I had more things but I open all those things much later. I didn't even go in the nursery until Nico was 3 months old. That's only to set up the crib, I still didn't use the nursery until he learned to sit up on his own.

Now that he's 7 months old here is how I have things set up. It's all an evolving process but this is what currently works:

CRIB:

The style of crib doesn't matter just buy whatever you like. I  prefer to have one with an adjustable mattress height. As soon as Nico learned to sit up I moved him from the bassinet in the pack n play and into the top level of the crib. It's too difficult for me to put Nico in the lowered pack n play while he's asleep. I still haven't been able to do it and keep him asleep. The crib transition was pretty easy. I started doing naps in the crib when I saw that he was close to sitting up so by the time he reached that milestone I was ready to put him in the crib for the night. I did sleep in the nursery for the first 3 weeks, simply because I was too lazy to walk across the house to feed him in the middle of the night.

A few weeks after moving him into the crib, he learned to pull himself up to standing using the crib railing so we had to drop the mattress to the middle height. Super easy. A week after that he started chewing on the railing so we bought a Gummi Railing Guard. I only put it on the front railing. It seems to be the only one that he chews on. It's clear, you can barely see it in the  picture.

I also have a mesh "bumper" to keep lil legs and arms from getting caught in the slats. Nico loves the scratchy sound it makes when he runs his fingers across it so bonus. I tied the top ties to the top railing to keep it from sliding down. (*this apparently is a safetly hazard because babies can use it as a step to climb out of the crib but I'll deal with that when I get to that point.) For now, it's more important for it to stay up and keep his parts from slipping through than a safety hazard. He can't even lift his foot yet.

NURSERY FURNITURE:

This is the rest of my nursery. Long story but yes we have an extra king size mattress. I'm terrified of letting my baby play on the floor because it's hard tile and I worry about him hitting is head. We play on the mattress 90% of the time. I used old diaper boxes to store toys and as a "diaper caddy" (which are crazy expensive but so necessary). I don't have a changing table. I personally believe they're a waste of money because after a month or two your baby will be too wiggly to change on the table safely. I always prefer changing baby on the floor, or in my case, the bed. I keep stuffed animals and pillows to keep Nico from rolling/crawling/falling off the edge. ***I never leave him on the bed unattended*** I can't believe I have to add stuff like this but I know someone out there will think it's cool to leave baby to play on a bed alone. It's not. 

The only other thing I have in the nursery is my rocker/glider. I love it and it's necessary. I always nurse Nico in the glider. So I get a lot of use out of it. It's right next to the crib (you can see the top of it in the crib picture). Shorter distance to walk after he's fallen asleep.

DIAPER CADDY:

Diaper caddy's are like $35, even on Amazon! It's a portable changing station. For those who are lucky enough to have carpet or brave enough to let baby play on the hard floor, this is a life saver. You can bring all your supplies to baby instead of having to corral and contain them. *Side note: give baby an extra diaper to play with while you change them. It should hold their interest long enough for you to get them fresh and clean. Although you gotta take diaper back when you're done so it stays interesting for next time.

As i've said in previous posts, Nico has never gotten diaper rash and I rarely use any products on him. So in my caddy I only have diapers, wipes, tylonol, burp cloth and A&D. Everything I need in one place!

GOOD LUCK!!

Homemade Baby Food

I know, I know, I don't strike you as the granola mom who eats everything organic and sews her own baby clothes but I had to try making my own baby food. It seems crazy to pay $1.32 for every jar of baby food when it's just mushed up fruit. Right? Seems easy enough.

First of lets get some facts out there.
Wait, first let me say who knows if this is the "right" way to do this but this is what I did. ok, now facts:

• Try to buy organic. Or uncooked frozen veggies (you can refreeze if they are uncooked when you buy them, then cook them, then freeze them)
• You can do large batches and have a month worth of baby food. It's the most economical way to do it but do a small batch first to make sure your baby will eat it before you go crazy.
• I used the ice cube tray, I think each cube is 1 oz.
• STORAGE
•  up to 3 months in the freezer
• 48 hours in fridge for fruits and veggies
• 24 hours in fridge for meat/eggs/fish (although idk who would do this)
• SUPPLIES - I'm lazy and cheap so I used what I had on hand
• Blender
• Ice cube tray
• Plastic Bags (freezer kind)
• Plastic Wrap
• Pot
• Water

Attempt #1 (yes, i had to try it more than once)
  I started with carrots. They were on sale BOGO at Publix and I figured why not. I know Nico likes carrots. I bought baby carrots (not the organic ones but oh well). I used half a small bag.

• Cut the carrots into small pieces (baby carrots I cut in quarters)
• Boil the crap out of them. I can't tell you how long but it took forever! Until they're tender.
• Poured the whole thing, carrots and water (about quarter cup of water was left) straight into the blender.
• I hit "liquefy" until it got the consistency of baby food. No chunks but not a liquid. 
• Poured it into an ice cube tray
• Let it cool
• Cover it with plastic wrap
• Stick it in the freezer
• Next day I poped them out and put them all in a freezer bag.
• I took 2 cubes out, stuck them in the freezer for 15 seconds, stirred, another 10 seconds, tested it and served.

Nico DID NOT eat it! I was devastated. I felt like my own baby rejected my cooking :( Boo hoo hoo

After I thought about it and talked with a friend. I decided it was because even though it looked the same as the stuff in the jar, the consistency was probably different.

Attempt #2 (I didn't have the patience to boil the carrots again so I switch to banana)

• Bought organic bananas. Yea!
• Cut them and threw them in the blender with a little water.
• Liquefied those bad boys! This time I held the button down until it looked like a liquid.
• Poured in ice cube tray
• Covered with plastic wrap
• Froze

This time it worked! Nico ate it. I was so excited! I tried carrots again, liquefied them completely this time and then he ate them.  

Trial and error with the amount of water and such. If it's too thick in the blender just add water. If it's too think when you're about to serve it just add water then. My banana was too thin so I just added a little oatmeal to thicken it. Trial and error baby!

7 months - How I Feel Now

       For the last month I've been hungry! Like similar to when I was pregnant accept this time more like a teenage boy because I'm not nauseous. Even if I eat until I feel like I'm going to explode, I will be starving an hour later. When I get really hungry then I get tired so getting up in the morning with Nico is hard because I'm so hungry, tired and weak. His smile gives me just enough energy to get him up, changed and in his high chair so I can get a bowl of cereal in me. In the afternoon I crave fast food. I know it's crap and I really want healthy food but I'm so hungry that I just want food now, not in half hour when the good food is done. It's terrible. I want wine everyday almost too. I figure I could drink a glass as soon as Nico goes to bed and be good to breastfeed by the time he wakes up again. Usually it's a 5 hour gap but I haven't done it yet.
     I also weigh 5 pound less than BEFORE I got pregnant! I still have no stomach muscles so it's still a little pouch and when I eat it looks like I'm 5 months pregnant. I'm not confident enough yet to wear a bikini because of my stretch marks. I keep saying I'm going to get back to my workout DVD but I haven't yet.
    I'm convinced that I'm lighter than I was and hungry all the time because Nico is literally eating me. My body is working so hard to produce all the milk that he demands that it's taking it from where ever it can. I'm not eating properly or enough to supply it with what it needs. Isn't that terrible! A hard cycle. So my advice to all moms feeding 7 month old is to eat, a lot. Plan meals, get help and don't feel bad about eating like an elephant.
 
    Also, I miss my friends finally! It only took 9 months after moving away. I want to go out with the girls. I need to go dancing and get dressed up and just not care for an hour or two. I haven't put a pair of heels on in almost a year. I just have no where to go and no one to go with! We've had a lot of friends and family come to visit so that's been great. I think that's why it took so long for me to get lonely. We've had lots of guests. Now, everyone is gone. My hubby will take me out whenever I ask which is great but we always bring Nico with us, which is also nice. I love going out as a family but a girl needs girls night out once in a while.

    Overall though I'm pretty happy. I still can sit and watch Nico do whatever it is that Nico does for an hour without getting bored. I like getting stuff done around the house and not having to go back to work.  The things that I "miss out on" because Nico is too young to go I don't feel bad about any more. I'm starting to look forward to doing them with him next year or in a few years. I'm learning to say no to invitations to things I normally would jump at. I can't just get in the car if someone calls and wants to go paddle boarding. I'm learning to be ok with that. I even like having something to do 24 hours a day. I thought that I'd get tired of that but I enjoy it now. As long as I get a break everyday or every other day even if that just means a shower. Most times Nico's nap is enough of a break to get recharged. I love being a mom.

Pets and Baby

Every dog and cat has their own personality so there is no "one size fits all" way to introduce pets to a new baby. I can only tell you what I did and how it's going. I have two dogs and a cat. They don't get along :( so the cat has it's own room. I also started training my dogs (who were my husband's dogs) the moment I met them. While I was pregnant all the rules and attention slacked. I wish I could tell you that after the baby I whipped them back in shape but I can't. But I can tell you that I haven't had a single issue with the animals and baby. NEVER LEAVE BABY UNATTENDED NO MATTER HOW GREAT THE DOG/CAT BEHAVES. Here's what I did:

1. I knew what I wanted from my dogs and made it clear to everyone. I pictured what I wanted the relationship to be between the dogs and the baby from Day 1 and what I wanted it to be in 5 years. I didn't want dog hair on the baby or on his stuff. I didn't want to worry about the baby accidentally getting hurt. My dogs are big, I have scrapes and bruises from them stepping on my toe or playing with them and I will not tolerate anyone, even my fur babies, hurting my real baby. I did not want the dogs to touch Nico. I did not want them licking him, nothing. In 5 years, I can imagine them running around and playing in the yard. Here is my plan.
2. Establish boundaries. The dogs always slept next to our bed. About a month before Nico came they got kicked out. boo hoo hoo. No one, human or dog, liked it at first but when the baby came everyone understood and was ok with it. First, we moved them to their crates in the kitchen to sleep. Now, they are allow to be loose in the house while the nursery and our bedroom door are closed. 90% of the time they will not go in either room even with the doors open but I don't take chances. I also put a piece of painter's tape on the floor into the kitchen when we moved in. The dogs are not allowed to cross the line. The nursery (and guest room) is on the other side of the kitchen so they know to stay away.


3. Start training before the baby comes and think about what you will need from the dog. I knew I didn't want the dogs to touch the baby so I practiced "leave it" command as often as i could. I use "leave it" so they turn from the baby and/or his toys. I taught them "back up" and "go" so that I could walk into a room and they won't crowd me or if I'm sitting they can give me some space. This is important when I come home with Nico in my arms and the dogs come to greet me. I can tell them to give me space to get in without having them sniffing or rubbing on me or Nico. If I'm sitting with Nico on my lap I tell them to "back up" so they won't get too close to him. I use "in your crate" about 100 times a day! This just gets them out of my hair whenever I need them contained and they always go in their crate when food is out. Basically, all the commands to leave me the @&#%^ alone. Also, keeping up with sit, stay, down, all the basics  are important in reminding your dog that you're in control and making sure they learn the baby is "above them" in the "pack order".
4. Teach them that baby is not a toy or something to be scared of. Everything I read said to bring home a baby blanket for the dogs to smell before you come home. I had my mom do that. She said they smelled it, didn't seem too interested and didn't try to take the blanket. That is actually the reaction I wanted. When I walked in the door, I greeted them for a minute or two until they calmed down then my hubby came in with the baby (in the car seat). We let the dogs smell the car seat but did not put it down or let them touch it. I kept the baby and dogs separate most of the day for the first week. It wasn't hard. I spent most of my time in the bedroom with baby anyway. Don't feel like you have to rush this issue. You are establishing something that will last for years. If you don't feel up to it then just keep them separate until you're ready. You don't want to rush and have things not go the way you want. I slowly introduced them by having my mom sit on the sofa with baby and I brought the dogs in one at a time on leash to come in the room and lay down near my mom. They could smell and see the baby while laying down. If they got excited I pulled them back and made them lay down again. I did this a few days. Then I had my hubby sit next to me and allowed the dogs to come in the room without a leash. Still made them keep their distance and lay down. Eventually, I felt comfortable to let them both loose while I was alone with Nico. The dogs understand that they are not allowed to touch Nico but they can get close and we go about our daily lives without worrying. Now, that Nico is 6 months old, he has started reaching out for them and I allow him to touch the dogs but they are not allowed to come to him to be petted. Nico is the one in control of when he touches them.

5. Teach "leave it" with all of babies toys, high chair, bouncers, clothes.... It takes constant attention but my dogs leave all the toys that Nico throws off his high chair and they don't touch clothes left on the floor. I found one toy ring chewed to pieces when I came home from spending the day at grandma's. I figured that's not a bad record.

6. Spend time with the dogs. They still need excerise and attention. You can't expect them to behave if they have tons of pent up energy. If you have to have your friend come to walk them or play fetch or your hubby watch the baby while you take the dog for a walk then do it. I wasn't putting the time in that I thought they deserved so I actually bought Bark Boxes. I figured having new toys would not only occupy their time and attention but it would force me to spend time with them. It was something we could all be excited about and enjoy together. I've only gotten two so far but it works for us so far.


The cat was easy. I let him in the room. The cat ignored Nico the first 3 times they were together. The 4th time, he came over, smelled him and walked away. The cat is not allowed to lick Nico or in Nico's crib. Nico loves to watch the cat's tail as he walks around the room. He has tried reaching out to touch the cat but usually the cat walks away or stays just out of reach.


There are a ton of training videos online. Buy lots of treats and get training! Have fun. If you are scared and nervous your pets will be too and that's not going to be good for anyone.

Let's talk about baby clothes sizes

Baby clothes. They're cute. You won't have a clue until you start using them what they will mean to you. After 3 months you will be an expert.
First, don't register for clothes. Ok, u can scan that super cute one or two that you can't live without but that's it, no more outfits. People love to buy baby clothes and trust me they will buy you cute stuff.

I would wait til after the shower and a month before you're due to buy anything for the baby. Even then you shouldn't buy much until that bugger is born and you know what size he/she is.

You need to know sizes. ALL COMPANIES SIZES ARE DIFFERENT. A Gerber 3 month onesie is not the same as a Carter 3 month.
In my opinion Carter is the closest "true to size". And they're the most common. At least around here. Macy, jcpenny, toys r us..Everyone sells Carter.
Next, is Gymboree . Besides their pjs, I think they are the closest to Carter and my second favorite.
Gerber runs small but has great stuff for newborns. All the essentials are good. Usually, thin material though which is great for hot weather but not for keeping baby warm.
Child of Mine at Wal-Mart is not bad, again sometimes really thin material but sometimes who cares when babies grow so fast.
Circo at Target runs a little big, they were the only things that fit Nico before I gave it and just started buying for his size not his age. He now wears 12-18 month clothes and he just turned 7 months old!

All the companies list weight/height ranges on the tags or on a sign in the store for their sizes so make sure you check that.
Example: Nico is tall so if I'm buying one-piece outfits like footy pjs then I have to go by his height to find his size. The weight doesn't matter as much. When I'm buying onesies, I go by his weight because his legs aren't even in it. That's only if he is on the edge of the size range.

I'll write about my favorites, what I used/bought and how many I need next time.

Connecting with baby

Everyone says that they didn't know love until they had a child. They never loved anything the way they love their baby. They LOVE their bump and the lil peanut inside.

Well, as usual, my messed up self didn't feel that way. I didn't feel "connected" to the moving alien in my belly. I didn't feel like it was my "son". It was just a new thing. A thing. I know, terrible, right? I felt bad about it. I got nervous that I didn't love my baby. What if I didn't feel that way about my baby. It was so weird because I have always been around and worked with kids. I've always connected with them and loved them. I even shed a few tears when I saw a student for their last lesson. So I'm not heartless!

I thought , when I know if it is a he or she then I'll be able to connect. Well, that day came and went. Then I thought when I can see him on the ultrasound and he looks like a baby, then I'll start getting feelings....nope. I thought it was cool and started to get more excited but still didn't feel love. I thought for sure when he's born, I'd have to be cold blooded not to fall in love with my baby once I go through labor and I can hold him in my arms for the first time............
......
......
I know. I know. I shouldn't admit this and I hope my son never reads this ever but I didn't feel the way everyone said they did or the way I "should". I felt horrible about it. The first time I held him I think I was in shock. Then I was just looking at him cuz I'd never seen a fresh newborn baby before. Then I was just studying him to see that he had all his parts and how he moved. He was so interesting. I didn't feel like a mom, just that there was this new baby. When it was all said and done and I was alone holding him I just looked at him. I looked at him for as long as I could for days. I still just like to watch him. Everything he does is interesting and new for me. That's how I feel that I learn about him and connect with him. Now, I know him so well. I know what his moments mean, I know how he feels and what he wants before anyone else because I know him so well. That makes me feel great. That makes me feel like his mom. Changing diapers, breastfeeding and taking care of him didn't make me feel like a mom. I've done all those things for other kids all my life  (not breastfeeding lol). I couldn't tell anyone that I didn't feel this amazing, one of a kind love for this baby that I should feel. For weeks I stressed about it and tried and wondered about it.

As time went on I did grow attached to his cute chubby butt. I noticed it most when other people held him or the first time I left him. I missed him. I wondered how he was doing. I couldn't wait to get back and hold him. I didn't stress the way I heard other moms explain it. I didn't cry. I enjoyed my time out (and my glass of wine). I felt a little guilty for having such a good time and almost forgetting for a while that I was a mom. I was just me.

Then I stopped and really thought about it. Here's what I figure:
1. I'm not a terribly emotional person.
2. I shouldn't ever feel bad about how I feel. It's just how I feel and I have the right to feel how ever I want.
3. I am a good mom. My baby is happy and healthy and I don't have anything to feel bad about .
4. Everyone handles situations differently. I won't feel the same way everyone else does and that doesn't mean I'm wrong.
5. MOST IMPORTANT I do love my son. More and more everyday. But I didn't feel this new overwhelming sense of love for him because I already know that type of love. It's not new to me. My mom loves me with that same love. Most important my God loves me with that type of love and I have always lived in that. I could always turn to it when I felt down and bathe in it when I was happy. Because I know that love towards me, it's the same love I give out. I love unconditionally, with all my heart, it's the only way I know. 1 Corinthians 13 is where I learned to love. That explains what love is and what it looks and feels like. I do my best to always love like that. So, no I didn't feel a new kind of love. I honestly didn't feel love towards Nico at all for a week or two. I had to come to my senses and accept that this baby is mine and I'm a mom. I still sometimes don't feel like a mom. Mostly because when I think of a mom, they're all old. My friends have kids but they're my "friends', they're not "moms". Lol

I know everyone who reads this is going to think I'm a terrible person but I really think women need to know that it's ok to feel how you feel. Feeling bad about how you react isn't going to help anyone. Stressing about it will hurt you and your family. Use your support people that I've mentioned before and talk with them. Or me, clearly, you can tell me anything and I'll understand or at least listen. Lol

Anyway, just so we are all clear, lets recap: it was hard for me to connect with the baby while I was pregnant and even after he was born but now I love my little pumpkin and I understand that I will continue to grow this love I have for him and it will be special and different and I'm excited about it ..ok?....ok

Second Trimester (Week 13-27)

This was much better for me than the first trimester. It was so much more exciting. You start to show, you can feel the baby moving, you start to feel better. People around you start to get more excited too. My favorite is that I eventually got my appetite back. I couldn't eat as much as I wanted but I could eat and not feel nauseous.

 I started to get my energy back, meaning I could make it to the bathroom and back to watching tv without needing to take a nap. Although, as I got bigger I started getting shortness of breath once in a while. I wanted to get out and do stuff now that I was feeling better. I regretted going shopping every time. Not only because I had to look at all the cute clothes that I couldn't fit but also because my feet would kill me by the time I got home. It got much worse in my third trimester. I could only wear supportive flip flops because my feet were swollen. Now, my feet are a size bigger than they were. The shoes I bought to give my feet relief actually are the only shoes that fit me now so don't go cheap.
I also started rubbing cocoa butter on my belly every night. I left the bottle on the nightstand so I wouldn't forget. I didn't want stretch marks. I didn't get any either until the last two weeks I was pregnant which also happened to be the same time I stopped using cocoa butter. Coincidence? I don't know but next time I won't stop. It looks like a cracked egg shell on my belly now, aagghh.

Sleeping:
I know these look dumb and people say they cause so many issues in the bedroom with their husbands but they work. Not that I know personally because I was too cheap to buy one but everyone I know bought one and said they were AMAZING:

I just slept with a pillow between my legs, one under my head, holding one and one behind my back, I basically made a nest and wiggled into it every night. You gotta do what you gotta do in order to sleep. Tell your husband to get snore strips. I even asked my hubby to sleep on the sofa a few nights because I was so tired and badly needed a snore free night of sleep. I slept on the sofa a few times too just to be fair. (with lots of pillows)
I got leg cramps a few times at night. They felt like death in my calf. It woke me up and I had no clue what was happening. I screamed and my hubby ran in. Once he figured out that I was not in early labor he helped hold and stretch my leg. His idea, not mine. I wanted to cut it off to stop the pain. Luckily he knew better. Doctor said that stretching before you go to bed should prevent them. The same stretches will make them go away once you get them, if you can manage to get up and do them.
These ones: (against a wall, she's not double air high-fiving)
I did get a wedge to I could sleep propped up when I got really big.
During the day I still put a pillow or two on it and it's prefect for reading books. Not to mention it's great for sex. He he he. They sell them pretty cheap on amazon and when I was looking for one I noticed that some of them were in the sex category. I thought what in the world...oh. So of course when mine came I had to try it and it was great...

While on that topic. Since I felt better in the second trimester, sex was on the table again. I actually had to call off sex in the middle of it because the back and forth was making me nauseous. I even threw up after sex once. Not sexy. But all the crazy hormones will make you horny. I just went through a phase, a few weeks of wanting it all the time. And after that not so often but when I did get horny it was strong. It was a need to happen right now kinda feeling. If you continue to have sex through your pregnancy it won't be so awkward. You'll adapt and figure it out. Remember that you won't be having any for a while after the baby comes so you might as well get it in while you still can.

You will be an emotional wreck. Crying during commercials or being super sympathetic or whatever. You're just gonna have to deal with it and so will everyone around you. They'll get over it, scream at them but always end it with "I'm pregnant, ok!" lol

I became super forgetful and it just got worse as the weeks went on. I couldn't remember the names of people I've known my whole life or the people I saw every week. Get paper and pencil and leave them around the house. I had post its everywhere! I had lists on the table of things I needed to do or get. I downloaded a "note" app on my phone. I still use it. One of the nurses told me that your brain starts working again 6 months after the baby is born. Mine is just starting to kick in again. Just don't make any big decisions while pregnant. If you have to then give yourself time to think it over and revisit it on different days to make sure you still feel the same way.

Last thing, I YouTubed Prenatal Yoga. It really helped. Even 10 minutes helped stretch and relax me. I felt so much better on the days when I got some yoga in. I mean OnDemand has a few and YouTube has lots. Don't do any standing on your head (although i know a lady who worked out and did hand stands and stuff with her doc approval but she was hard core) but normal easy yoga will do. Even just the breathing crap is helpful :)

First Trimester Symptoms (Week 1-13)

So, this happened to me. I lost 10 pounds in my first trimester. I joked with everyone who was trying to lose weight at the time that all they had to do was get pregnant. I struggled the most with nausea. I threw up twice a day, felt like I was going to die of starvation but the thought of putting food in my mouth made my stomach flip. I was so sick of eating toast and crackers. It continued until half way through my second trimester! My super human sense of smell didn't help. I could smell everything a person had eaten that day simply from them saying hi from across the room. I absolutely hated the smell of popcorn. My sweet husband would call on his way home from work to see if I wanted anything and he would run to the store day or night and get me anything I wanted and I so appreciated it but he would watch a movie and eat popcorn every night before he went to bed. Popcorn already has a strong smell but aahhh the first few days I tried to let it go but by day 3 I almost grabbed the bowl and shoved it down his throat. Luckily, God prevented this from happening and allowed me to speak up and tell him politely that he can no longer eat popcorn in the house at all ever. To this day he asks me before he buys or pops popcorn. lol

Also, I spent sooo much time in the bathroom! I was tired from being pregnant, tired from throwing up all the time, tired from not eating well, and just didn't feel like getting up and walking to the bathroom yet again to pee. I peed all day long. Almost peed myself simply because I was protesting having to get up. FYI your bladder always wins. Not drinking water doesn't make you pee any less and does damage to you and the baby so MAKE SURE YOU DRINK LOTS OF WATER. I mean you're gonna have to go you might as well make it worth it. I hated when I put in the energy to go and then just tinkled. I'd sit there until I at least tinkled twice. Caffeine makes you pee more so start limiting that. It's not great for baby anyway. And if you're dehydrated and drink coffee it just makes you more tired. Science.

Another reason I never wanted to get up is because I got dizzy almost every time I stood up. It would only be for a second or two but it was terrible. Sometimes it would be enough to trigger nausea then I'd really be pissed. I would feel like I was going to faint sometimes and actually did twice in my second and third trimester. I wasn't allowed to go anywhere by myself and basically had to stop driving because I'd end up on the side of the road because I was too dizzy to see straight. Making sure I had snacks and ate periodically (keep my blood sugar from peaking or dropping) helped but it was still a drag.

HERE'S WHAT TO DO:

I don't know that you can prevent any of the symptoms but there is plenty you can do to make life easier.
1. Drink water...lots of water
2. Make sure you always have snacks (healthy snacks I lived on trail mix)
3. Buy Preggie Pops to help with nausea
4. Speak up, if a smell is too much ask the person to stop or go away. People would rather move or change their behavior then have a pregnant lady upset or hurl on them.
5. Make a comfy spot. Get blankets or pillows and make a favorite spot that you can always go to and relax. Keep your stress down and rest your body everyday, doing this before you go to bed will really help you get to sleep.
6. Keep in mind it's all temporary and most likely what ever you're struggling with will go away in a few weeks and it's all worth it.

               GOOD LUCK LADIES!!

Almost 7 months, day in the life of

Nico and I have really hit our stride the last few days. So, I'll give you an idea of what our day looks like:
Unfortunately, he wakes with the sun. I think this is because the blinds don't block much light. If we had curtains or black out shades I think he would sleep later. But I don't mind much because this is about the time my hubby leaves for work. He can come in and see us both awake and happy before he starts his day and I think that is good for everyone. Side note: I read that a babies sleep cycle is 15 min of light sleep before they hit 45 minutes of deep sleep so I don't count sleeping in the car or anything less than 45 minutes a nap. It's not quality sleep if it's shorter than that.

Times vary a lot but I'll give an example day:

6:30am Wake up, nurse, see daddy, open blinds (he needs as much light as possible to wake all the way up) hang in the high chair while I eat breakfast
7:30am Play in the room, close the blinds, read a book
8:00am Nurse and nap (#1 Nap 1-2 hours) I nap too, nothing exciting is going on at 8am anyway
9:30am Open blinds (again, I think light is important) get dressed. Run quick errands or play at home, I usually use this time to play with the pets. Either inside with the cat or outside watching the dogs.
*11:30am SOMETIMES Nico will take a mid-day nap. I always try but sometimes he's just not in the mood or I don't catch him at the right time and he's either not tired enough or too tired. I get in most of my house chores during this nap, catch up on tv shows or whatever. IF he doesn't nap then we keep playing or visit grandma, whatever. I also usually try and give him baby food during this time between 10-1. He will eat and nurse or nurse twice somewhere in there.
2:00pm Nurse and nap (Nap #2 1-2 hours), this is a dependable time. He almost always will go down easy at 2 everyday. YES! I sometimes get a nap but usually have lots of stuff to do.
3:30pm Play time again. Hang out and get things ready for daddy to come home.
4:30pm Daddy time. Hubby comes home, takes a shower and gets handed a baby. I get a little "baby free" time. Usually to finish chores or take a shower. If I get lucky and motivated I'll go grocery shopping by myself or do some other activity by myself. It's just a great break for mommy and much needed daddy time.
5:45ish If daddy hasn't given baby food to Nico, I'll do it now. Then straight to the tub, 5-10 minute bath. PJs, book, nurse and bed.
If i'm lucky Nico will sleep from 7-midnight. Sometimes he'll wake up at 9:30, usually can get him back to sleep in 10 walking around with him.
12:00 Nurse and bed
3:30am sometimes nurse and bed
6:30am Start all over again.

I aim for 14 hours of sleep. During teething we averaged about 11 which was exhausting for both of us. Doesn't seem like much but u just wait til u have a baby. It took almost three weeks of really paying attention to his natural sleepy time and making naps a priority before I figured this schedule. If there is family around or we are out and about. He can go all day without a nap. I don't know any babies that will do that. Most of them would pass out. So I really had to be persistent with Nico and everyone else to get him to nap twice a day.

He eats about 7 times a day. I feed him when he cries/fussed and before he sleeps. Not all "full" feedings. He will eat half a jar of baby food or fall asleep while nursing. I don't worry about eating as much as the sleeping. Nico is 6 months old and 20.5 pounds. I don't think I have to worry.

Baby in the bathroom; bathing baby and a lil more about poop

Two things in this post that you probably haven't thought of yet:
  1. How to go to the bathroom when you have a baby.
  2. How to deal with your baby going to the bathroom.

Your baby will want to be with you ALL the time. ALL the time. If you're lucky then your baby will sleep well and you'll have enough time to take a quick shower and even use the toilet during naps. Hopefully you have a crib or pack n play near a bathroom that you can leave baby in while you pee. I suggest getting a bouncer.
This little thing is easy to carry around with one hand while you have the baby in the other. You bring it into the bathroom. Put the baby in, strap them in, and you handle your business while your baby sits and watches you. Yup, you get an audience while you take a dump. Welcome to motherhood. Your privacy went out the window when you got pregnant and started to visit the OB/GYN.
I was always too nervous to leave Nico alone long enough to take a shower. I was so afraid he would cry and I wouldn't be able to hear him or dry off and get him in time. I waited until my hubby came home and at least could listen for baby while I showered. Showing became my "mommy time". I took a long hot shower, shaved my legs, washed my hair so that I could come out of the bathroom new, refreshed and feeling like a women again.

2. I already talked about diapers and wipes. I have yet to use baby powder on Nico...what!...yes. I know I know baby powder is a staple when it comes to babies. I used it at every change when I used to babysit. But I didn't want anything extra on my baby and I read all that stuff wasn't necessary. My pediatrician agreed. She said really the only thing I might need is A&D or Vaseline once in a while to prevent or help heal rash. Nico has never had diaper rash or any other skin issue. I even just used a small washcloth with water to clean pee diapers the first few weeks. Now, with solid food and thicker poop I might have to switch to the One n Done wipes that are thicker and can handle more "business".
   Side note: I still haven't bought a diaper pail. I thought a diaper genie was a game changer but newborn diapers don't really smell. We have more smelly diapers now but I keep a bottle of febreeze next to the changing table and just spray when a real stinker goes in. I just keep a medium trash bin so it gets changed every two or three days. I might end up buying one when the diapers get worse but for now, saved money, don't have one.

2 1/2 Bathing baby: I figure this is as good a time as any to throw in a few things about bathing. The first few "baths" were a naked baby on my bed, laying on a towel and I had a bowl of warm water. I had one wash cloth to get babies arms wet, another cloth with baby soap then the first cloth to wipe the soap off. I tried to keep him covered with the towel as I went to keep him from getting cold. I finally graduated to the baby tubs, I mentioned in an earlier post.


Something you would never think about before baby is there are different kinds of washcloths. There are thick and think ones. Pay attention at the store. You want thin washcloths because babies are tiny and the thick ones aren't gonna help until baby is much bigger. I still use the thin ones. Gotta get in all those rolls you know. Same with the towel. There are thick and thin ones. I used the thin ones for newborn and after about two months I prefer the thick towels.

That's it.

Diapers and Wipes

   ok, ok, ok. Diapers and wipes are everything. It's such a big decision! You wanna pick the right ones. What company? What kind? Cloth or disposable? Do I want to save the environment or just be lazy? Is it lazy to do disposable? Is it better than washing the cloth ones? What do I do with the dirty ones? What diaper pail do I get? How often do I have to throw the trash out? Where do I put it all? Where do I change the baby? What else do I need? Baby powder? Diaper rash cream? A hose attached to my toilet? WHAT?
       CALM THE HELL DOWN. It's poop and pee. Really not that big of a deal. Do you really wanna spend hours stressing over what you use for 1 second to wipe poop of your baby's butt with!? Getting poop off your favorite pair of pants or expensive carpet, now that's something to spend a little time  on but diapers and wipes.....no.

Here's what you do:
     1.Get a great friend to throw you a baby shower.
      2. Relax

Really? really. If it's truly a great friend. She will find a way to encourage people to bring diapers along with a cool gift for the shower. No to mention, everyone knows you will need diapers and will usually buy some anyway. If you're lucky you'll have at least 3 or 4 packs of newborn size and 3 or 4 of size 1. This way you'll have at least a few weeks covered no matter how big or small your baby is. If you're even luckier to have different kinds of diapers then you get to try them as you go through them and decide which ones work best for you. When they're newborns, it really doesn't matter. They wear them for like 2 hours before you freak out and change them anyway. They don't keep them on long enough to make a difference. Mind you, some babies are sensitive. If your baby breaks out or has any reaction to the diaper then yes you have to get rid of the rest of those diapers and try the next kind. Most babies don't. They really don't care what diaper you put them in.

Generally speaking:
    Some people need and swear by the yellow line. Some diapers have a sign in most cases a line that changes color that shows on the outside when the diaper is wet. I thought this was amazing before I had the baby. Now, I'm glad I didn't stick with those. Yes, it's a great way to learn when a diaper is wet. But I'm glad I learned other signs and ways to check a diaper so i didn't feel depended on "the line". I can tell if Nico needs a change without having to take his clothes off to see the line on the diaper. Learning how the diaper feels through the clothes when you put it on compared to just before you change it, is a better thing to learn. Being sensitive to the smell is also helpful but as babies get older their gas can be deceiving lol


I tried Honest diapers first because I thought I cared. I didn't want chemicals in my diapers. Honset company uses natural stuff and they have designs! Two things that mattered to me, until I came to my senses.
Yes, they're cute. Yes, they're great. Yes, I felt better about using them so I don't regret my decision to start with them.
No, I don't like how expensive they are and you use so many when they're newborn. No, the designs really don't matter cuz even though they're cute you never see them because SURPRISE your baby wears clothes. Duh. No, because they don't use chemicals they are thicker than other diapers and I felt like they stretched out the onesies. No, because they felt like bamboo: a little stiff and straight.


Money started to get a little tight so we switched to the most recommended diaper: Pampers Swaddlers. Everyone says they're the best. I think they're the most popular.
Yes, they worked great. Yes, They're soft inside and out. Yes, thinner than Honest and cheaper.
No, there is a mesh webbing that I think keeps the wet diaper from the baby skin. I didn't like it because I felt little strings of mesh would get caught in baby's rolls and parts. I was always picking tiny strings, like lint, off my baby. My friends didn't experience this but I didn't like it.


Money got even tighter and went switched to Luvs. The saying goes "Live, learn, get Luvs" and "Second time moms buy Luvs". I totally agree. We have used Luvs most often to date.
Yes, they're cheap and not in quality. Most moms think because they're cheaper they must not be as good. I loved Luvs. Worked great. They were the thinnest in my opinion. Really flexible, didn't puff up when wet.
No, I hated the little monkey on the diapers, no reason why just hated him. Eventually, Nico got to size 3 and started blowing out of them. Apparently this is something only some babies do. But about 200 diapers in to size 3 they stopped holding his poop. I was constantly changing his clothes and mine because he blow out of them. Don't laugh! It'll happen to you, just wait. A blow out literally means poop blowing out of the back of the diaper and up his back, soaking through his clothes and onto yours or his car seat or whatever he happens to be sitting on.


When we were at our lowest point we bought Publix diapers. Why did I include this particular picture? because it has Publix COOKIES! OMG I love their cookies. I love Publix too. I miss Meijer sooo much but dang Publix BOGO is the bomb and so are their cookies. OK, back to diapers:
Yes, they worked much better than i thought. We used them longer than I thought because they worked well.
No, they look cheap but hey they just catch poop so who cares.
I don't really have an issue with them but I liked Luvs better so we switched back to Luvs.


Now at 6 months old and after the Luvs explosion phase we use Pampers Cruisers. The blow outs stopped and I have only have one issue with them. They puff up a lot when they're wet. It looks and feels like he has a wet diaper but once you get it off you see it's not really full, barely has pee in it and I end up wasting a lot of diapers this way.

WIPES

I'll be quick. Whatever kind works best for you. In the beginning I suggest the sensitive kind. After a month or so you can try different kinds. They all have different thicknesses, smells, materials, blah blah blah. Make sure you buy the container first and then just get refill bags after. It's cheaper than always buying new containers. You don't need a fancy warmer or anything like that unless your house is super cold. A cold wipe in the middle of the night probably doesn't feel so great on your butt. Other than that I wouldn't waste your money. Room temperature wipes are perfectly fine.


Everyone knows Pampers Sensitive wipes. I used them. They work fine. But when I had the string issue, mentioned above, I changed both diapers and wipes to avoid this.

I had my hubby go to the store and just buy three different kinds of wipes. He bought all Huggies but different kinds. I was upset at first but realized as I used one then the other how different they all really were. I learned that I don't like sented wipes but the unsented ones smelled too. I can't explain how unsented smelled like nothing which smelled like something to me. I know I'm weird but hey. My baby, my opinion, my blog, my choice. I thought the One and Done wipes were too thick and the Fresh ones were smelled way too strong. Besides that I don't mind the others.


Huggies sells these SUPER cute travel wipe cases. They don't hold as many wipes as the wipe refills but that means less space it takes up in the baby bag. It's cuter than a plastic bag. You can refill them. I have had 3 of them come unglued and the top white piece comes off. But they're like $3 so i just buy a new one.

So, lessons learned: Don't stress about diapers and wipes. Use what people give you. when you find something you like then buy more of those....simple.

DONE. BOOM.

****Update: Nico is now 18 months old and surprise my opinion has changed. Since poop has gotten more serious with more grown up foods, I use Huggies One and Done wipes and Pampers Cruisers. Haven't had many issues. Nico still leaks every once is a long time at night but that's usually because he had enough milk and juice between dinner and bed to come out of his eyeballs.

Feeling Baby Move

Feeling baby move for the first time was amazing! I wasn't sure at first if it really was the baby. People said it was still too early but after another week or two I could tell it was baby. I was 18 weeks. Sitting on the floor, playing with the cat...well really looking out the window waiting for the cat to come over and be interested in me. It was quiet, I was calm and then I felt it. It was the smallest twitter. It really did feel like butterfly wings, just two or three wing flaps. It was really low, almost at my pelvic bone. That was really a turning point. I finally felt pregnant. I stopped feeling like I just had this terrible disease that made me super tired and throw up and be hungry and not want to eat and lose control of my emotions. I felt like there was a reason finally. That it's all gonna be worth it. Now, I had something moving inside me. What the crap! I have something moving inside me!? What in the world. Being pregnant is the weirdest thing! I have a tiny bean baby MOVING, INSIDE me. So weird.
   I continued to feel movement a few times a day, sometimes none all day, other days one or four times. It got more frequent and stronger as the weeks went on. Those lil beans really get big and start punching and kicking. I eventually was able to guess if I felt a hand or foot. When he flipped was the most interesting feeling for me. It was almost that roller coaster feeling but not as strong. That's not until you're big. Some people get so big they can see the outline of a hand or foot. That never happened to me. One of my friends said her husband grabbed the baby's foot! That's crazy.
   Another cool thing was hiccups! Yes, hiccups. Nico got hiccups almost everyday the last month. Some people never feel them. You'll know them if your baby gets them. They're tiny lil hiccups. They would last anywhere from 1-10 minutes. A great time for people to feel the baby because it's constant movement for a few minutes. Nico had hiccups a lot after he was born. He still gets them every time he gets really excited. Now, it's cute. When he was born it was scary because they really suck in his whole chest and he can't sleep until they're gone.
  Anyway, I looked forward to the kicks. I thought it was pretty fun. I felt like I could connect with this moving lil alien in my belly as he got bigger. I could learn his schedule, see if he reacted to different foods. My husband didn't get to feel him kick until weeks after I did. I could feel the kick on my hand weeks before he could. But when he finally did, he thought it was pretty cool. It's the first time the dad gets to interact with the baby. Yes, you do have to share time with dad, both of you can't fell the kicks at the same time. So once you learn what time of day baby is most active, sit down together and let him keeps his hands on your belly so he can go through the process of realizing he's about to have a baby.

Teething!

First of all. I started giving Nico solids the week he turned 6 months old. His teeth came in the same time. I couldn't give him teething biscuits or let him chew on any kind of food while he was teething because he might chew a piece off and choke. He started teething when he was 3 months old. Everyone told me he would get teeth any day but it took 3 months. He didn't suck on pacifiers and things, he chewed. He drooled and chewed on everything constantly. His favorite things were his blankets and my fingers, and his fingers. The week his teeth came in he started to get really fussy and wake up a lot at night. The two days before they came in it was impossible to keep him asleep. He would sleep for 20 minutes then wake up crying. I'd hold him for 20 minutes and back and forth we'd go for 2-3 hours. I did give him Tylenol every night to help him sleep. I didn't want to give him drugs but I got over it. Now, his second set are coming in. He is starting to have a hard time sleeping. Oh, and nursing! He wants to nurse a lot. Sometimes he will start and stop , other times he will want to stay on for half hour. It's so draining. I know how annoying it was to get my wisdom teeth in so I feel so bad for the poor kid. I'm so tired but I can't just leave him to cry.

  I randomly found a pacifier that had bumps at the base of the nipple, someone gave me as a gift. He never takes pacifiers but I was so desperate I gave it to him. He loved it. I can't find another one like it anywhere! But he likes Sophie the giraffe, most popular teether in history. It squeaks! Be warned. It doesn't bother my dogs luckily but it squeaks. I don't like things that make noise..

 My cousins bought him teething toys, he loves the one with the messager thing. He chews every part of this thing and you can put it in the fridge/freezer. Nico isn't a huge fan of cold things. He holds them so long they warm up in his hand before he starts chewing on it.

Then I found this raspberry at the store. Awesome sauce! We just bought a second one today. I think this one helps his gums the most. I don't understand why the whole thing has bumps seeing as the kid only has gums in the front. Hey, it works, he'll be quiet and chew on it in the car, in his high chair and it's great.

Baby Stuff

Everyone always says babies need a lot of stuff. Well, yes and no. I feel like they accumulate a lot of stuff. Yea there is stuff you need to prepare but people way over do it. Nico is 6 months old and I still don't have his nursery ready. Everyone will want and handle having a baby in the house differently. Some people want everything in case they need it. All babies like different stuff. Some will love swings, others will only want to be held. So I just waited. I waited until I needed something to buy it. I also do and did a lot of research before I buy anything. TheBump.com, Amazon reviews and buybuybaby.com and babiesrus.com reviews.

First of HAVE A BABY SHOWER! Do a registry, think about what you really need, don't just scan everything cute. AND remember you're having a baby, not a 2 year old. So all the cute toys and stuff....forget it. Only register for little baby things. People will buy toys and clothes so don't register for those either. Do stuff that will help, like the stroller, car seat, high chair, playmats...big stuff that people can buy as a group and will save you lots of money. I was sooo lucky and had two baby showers. I only now had to start buying clothes and not even many. My family bought a bunch of the big things for me so I was set. Nico is the first baby in our family in a long time so I really lucked out. Most friends and family can't do that but you will be surprise. People love to help out and love an excuse to go baby shopping.

I love buying 2 in 1 or convertible things. If it can serve more purposes or grow with baby, I'm hooked.
CARSEAT - I already mentioned my Graco travel system in my first post.

HIGH CHAIR-I started using my Graco DuoDiner high chair and love it. It can recline for infants, then sit up as baby grows. It's easy to clean and has 5 point straps so I don't have to worry about him getting out of it if I'm not sitting right next to him. It converts to a booster chair. One and done. I can use it early, just a few months old, and continue to use it until he can sit at the table.
   I don't think it really matters what kind you get. I picked mine based on the fact that it converts and the color. I preferred to have it machine washable. Make sure it has straps so you don't have to worry about them climbing out when they get wiggly.


ROCKER/GLIDER- I still don't quite know the difference and I don't think the companies do either. I was told rockers rock in an up and down arch and gliders just go back and forth but I've seen them labeled differently. YOU NEED ONE. You will spend a lot of time in a chair. Make it comfy. Also, you will be surprised to find out that you will want a straight backed chair. I sat in them and wanted to pick the most comfortable. I didn't buy one for a while because I couldn't find one that was tall enough to rest my head. I figured I'd be tired and want to put my head back in the middle of the night. I was using IKEA Poang chair when Nico came home but quickly got tired of that crap. I had to put two pillows behind me so I could sit up straight. Bouncing in the IKEA chair got old too. Well, now that I have one, Storkcraft Tuscany Glider, I know what's important. When you're nursing you need good posture, not only for the baby to latch correctly but also for your back, which will hurt. The Storkcraft chair came with a "lumbar pillow" that is very helpful so no matter what chair you choose you will need a pillow for your back. I used my Boppy pillow too under the baby. Think about where it will fit and what style you want. Doesn't matter if it rocks or glides. Oh, make sure you get a footrest, either the ottoman it comes with or buy your own if you don't have one. You will be much more comfortable with somewhere to put your feet.


BREAST PUMP - I can't live without my breast pump. Sucks but it's the only way you will get any break, ever. The doctor made me give formula to Nico the second day, they said he was dehydrated and I wasn't producing enough for him. I think they're all a bunch of dumb dumb heads but it got Nico used to taking a bottle from the start. I pump just about everyday so if someone wants to go do something, I can be down to roll. I have extra milk ready at all times. The electric ones are expensive but most insurance companies will actually buy you one, a good one. Our insurance let us pick which one we wanted and they reimbursed us! I bought a manual one that I can travel with. I have a Medela. Again,  don't think it really matters which one you get but you need one.

BOTTLES - There are so many!!! My pump came with 4 bottles so those are the ones I use and Nico took them so I didn't have to shop or anything else. Some babies are picky and you will need to buy different ones until they take one. I wouldn't register for bottles or buy any until you need them. But once you do, you will need a bottle brush and drying rack.

Diaper, wipes and more fun stuff to come

Being Pregnant Round 1

       So you're pregnant! Wonderful! Amazing! It's a gift, best thing ever! And I'm sure you feel like crap. I heard someone say that the best time of their life was when they were pregnant and I felt really bad for them. Their life musta sucked. Yes, being pregnant is a miracle and special time but it doesn't always feel so great. I puked everyday, twice a day, for almost 3 months. I was starving all the time, a special kind of starving that is reserved only for being pregnant, but the thought of putting food in my mouth made me nauseous. I ate crackers until I was dryer than the Sahara. I drank water until my legs were too tired to bring me to the bathroom again. I swear an angel was the only thing that kept my hand from hitting the 100th person to tell me that I was "glowing". I didn't feel like glowing. I felt like sleeping all day with my head near a toilet and a feeding tube so I wouldn't have to eat. AND the thought of labor terrified me. The thought that after I get through all this crap I still have to go through "the most painful event of a women's life". I wasn't really thrilled to be pregnant. Scared, yes. Confused about the whole process, yes. Excited, yes. Emotional, yes. Tired, yes. Every emotion at once because my hormones were out of wack....yes yes yes. I always knew I would have kids but I never imagined being pregnant. Never thought about it. Is that weird, idk, don't care but that's how I think. Would I go through it all again? Heck, yes. LOL
     I felt bad not feeling overjoyed at being pregnant. I felt terrible complaining about being sick when some women can't or have a hard time getting pregnant. But I felt how I felt. By the second trimester everything was different. I stopped being so sick, I was showing so people started being nicer to me. I bought maternity clothes so I was finally comfortable. (Not having to zip and button your pants is amazing.) I was ready to be pregnant, finally. I felt the baby moving. I finally felt like I was pregnant, not just sick and lazy. I could feel like it was all worth it. That something big was happening. The closer I came to my due date the less afraid of labor I became. Even when my belly got huge, I felt great. I still couldn't sleep well and got tired quickly but I was happy. I may have been a little moody but you'll have to ask my husband about that. Anyway, all that to say, it gets better. It's not that bad, you might even enjoy it at times and it's definitely all worth it. You'll never have the cutest baby in the world (cause that's mine) but you will be rewarded with a lil buddy that you'll love forever.
     So back to first trimester:
           1. If you get morning (afternoon/all the time) sickness, you should try everything everyone tells you that helped them. Everyone's body is different so different things will work for different people. You need to buy crackers, and fruit and PREGGIE POPS! Some amazing lady invented these candies that stop nausea. CANDY! yes FEEL BETTER by eating CANDY! So that was my favorite. There are teas and stuff but the candy was easy to carry with me. Always ready and worked. They're sour so if you don't like sour candy then don't get them but who knows your taste buds change when you're pregnant so may be try them anyway.
          Sometimes you have cravings for a reason. All I wanted in the beginning was fruit. Eat whatever it is that you crave. Just don't be stupid. Don't solely eat one thing or over eat. You crave ice cream, great so eat it. Don't think that you can eat milkshakes everyday and blame the extra weight on the baby. Everyone will know babies don't give you rolls! A milkshake now and then is fine. And think about what you're craving. If you want a milkshake then may be your body is telling you that you need more dairy or strawberries or whatever flavor the shake is. So make a yogurt smoothie or parfait or have a glass of low fat milk. You can satisfy the craving without gaining an extra 20 pounds.
           You need to take your vitamins, you need to eat better. Watch the caffeine! Won't make a huge difference now but was the baby gets bigger you will be able to feel what you're doing to the poor thing, Babies can't process caffeine the way you can. I drove from Michigan to Florida at 8 months pregnant. I drank sweet tea the whole day and loved it. The whole night and next day the baby didn't stop moving. I got really concerned until I realized how much sugar and caffeine I had poured all over the poor baby. I couldn't sleep and could barely sit down for 24 hours, I was so exhausted from getting kicked and punched. I learned my lesson and rarely have tea or coffee to this day.
    Side note: apologize to your husband in advance. You will get emotional and crazy and they are going to have to deal with it. Tell them to do whatever you want and thank you for carrying their baby.
     2. Buy the What to Expect When Expecting book. This was a lifesaver in the beginning. Reading has gotten me through a lot. When I didn't feel like anything was happening, I could look it up and read about what was really going on. When something weird happened I could read the book and read how I'm not the only one going through that. It's written in stages so you only have to read the chapter you're in. So one chapter is about your first month so you read just that. So it really takes 9  months to read the whole thing. So don't freak when you see that it's 400 pages.
      I also read everything my friend gave me. She had about 5 different books. I read one just on breastfeeding cuz that was a strange concept. I'm so glad I read so much before I had the baby so I felt prepared to deal with whatever came my way. I still read whenever I can but you will have no time to read for the first month. So don't put it off.
     3. Get the I'm Expecting App. Similar to the book. Tells you how far along you are, what the baby is doing and what may be going on with you at the time. Again, reassuring to know that there is some uniformity to this whole crazy system.
      4. Find a friend/relative someone who you can talk to about ANYTHING. Talk to them. You need a support system, especially after the baby is born but now too. You need to be able to complain to someone other than your husband who will get tired of it quickly. You need to just cry sometimes even though you have nothing to cry about and just get all the crazy out on someone who is willing to just listen and agree with your emotional fat self wihout calling you fat and crazy.
     5. Suck it up and buy maternity clothes when you're too big to fit your jeans. Don't wait until you loose blood circulation to your legs. You will be more comfortable and you won't look like you have a crazy muffin top. Everyone will thank you. BUYING BIGGER SIZE IS NOT MATERNITY. There are cute maternity clothes. Buy at least 2 jeans and 3 shirts to start and buy as needed from there. Don't believe in preggie underwear. Yes, yours will not fit and you will be uncomfortable and not be able to figure out why your underwear don't fit but they wont. I haven't found a solution to this besides not wearing any. I bought the preggie undies and they sucked. Old Navy has decent cheap maternity.
     6. You gonna get fat. period. It's gonna happen. If you gain the weight slowly and the way you're supposed to then it will be that much easier to loose after the baby. I can't stress enough the importance of safe exercise and if you know me you know I don't ever say that! I regret not doing more ab and kegel exercises. Trust me, they're important. This doesn't mean you should diet. Don't do that, you  having a baby, don't starve it. If you're worried about your weight, talk to your doctor. They'll tell you exactly how much weight you should gain, how and when. Not that hard.

Ok, I'm tired. Going to bed.
   

First Baby

Since some people are worse at using their phone than me, I've decided to blog. This way I can say I've done my best to pass on all the info that I've been trying to get to them without actually having to contact them. (Also, having a baby and being sleep deprived has wiped out my memory so I might need my own advice when baby #2 comes along)

That being said this blog will be random. Mostly because that's the way my brain works. I will write about all the stuff that comes to mind until the baby wakes up or I stop remembering what I wanted to write about. I wanted to start with pregnancy and work my way up to current 6 month baby but that would've required me to start blogging when i was pregnant. I also wanted to blog in the blog space I already had but I couldn't get into it because i couldn't remember my password. (Story of my life)

I'll start with stuff I have that I love and want everyone else to buy:

TOYS:

    1. Oball - they're awesome. Easy for baby to grab, no way they can hurt themselves or others with it. They can try to chew on it but it's almost impossible for them to actually get it in their mouths. Has entertained Nico for hours. I leave it in his crib so sometimes he can play with it when he wakes up in the morning before fussing to get picked up. I can put it in his car seat on links so it doesn't fall on the ground. He can play with it with his toes. It's easy to clean. Just great. Some of them have rattles which would be fun but I like the quiet one with no rattle.


   2. Taggies - Nico, just like his mother and grandparents, is obsessed with tags. I put him on the bed this morning and he managed to find the pillow tag under the pillowcase. Two moms had similar kids and invented the Taggie company. They make toys and blankets with extra tags sewn on. My mom sewed extra tags on my toys when I was little so you can too but I received a stuffed pirate dog toy and blanket as gifts and Nico LOVES them. He smiles every time he sees the dog and will spend a lot of time finding the different tags and playing with them. Great idea. Go Moms





CAR STUFF:

   1. CAR SEAT - I have the Graco Modes travel system. I chose it because at the time it was the only one I could find that the stroller turned into a frame for the infant carseat rather than placing the infant seat on top of the toddler seat. It is lighter this way and you get to save the toddler seat for when he's big enough to use it. I don't see the point in carrying around the toddler seat all the time when the baby is in the car seat. If you don't get what I mean then look around at strollers next time you're at the mall or a baby store. Down side is without the opposite facing toddler seat cover there is no way to fully protect baby from sun or rain. That really stinks. I had to buy a fabric cover and even that is disappointing because it just lays on top of the seat and the wind blows it out of place constantly. It's also hot to keep Nico covered for long periods of time. Still need to come up with a better solution for this issue. Second problem is the Modes stroller is a little beefy and hard to maneuver. I don't know that I would trade it for anything else because I love the Click Connect System and everything else about it. So easy to fold up and unfold. It has a good amount of storage underneath. No other issues.
   I would recommend thinking hard about what you are going to use the stroller for before you start shopping. There are so many choices and options it's best to have a list of "must haves" before you even start. Do you need a cup holder? Does the baby need a cup holder? Will you be in tight spaces most of the time and need a narrow stroller? Do you care if you can jog with it? Do you really jog or just wishful thinking? How many strollers will you need?

***UPDATE: Now, at 7 months, I wish I would have just gotten a car seat and frame. I don't regret getting the travel system and I do use both the car seat and toddler seat now but the stroller is a bit bulky and difficult to maneuver in tight spaces. The Modes stroller was one of the first to be a "frame" stroller but Graco also sells a simple frame on it's own. It's lighter and more narrow than the Modes stroller. If I had a "do over" I would buy a car seat and frame and a separate toddler stoller. I'm currently looking into buying a second stroller. So far I like the Kolcraft Cloud the most. I wish we lived close to a buy buy baby so I could go in a see different strollers. My top features are lightweight, large shade cover, simple and flat fold (I don't want it to take up my whole trunk), kid and mom trays (kid tray helps keep baby from falling forward and mom tray gives me somewhere to put my keys/wallet/phone since i rarely carry a purse or baby bag into the store).

   2. WINDOW SHADES - I live in Florida and have tinted windows. I thought that would be enough but no. I have to use the cover on the car seat and angle the fabric one I bought to try and keep my baby from getting sunburn. Or at least I think he will get sunburn if he spends more than 5 min in the Florida sun even through tinted windows. I finally bought the sun shade. I definitely recommend buying one or two but I can't say that I am in love with the one I bought. The eddie bauer set of two from target. The first one had a misshapen suction cup and wouldn't stick. The second works so far. My windows are not perfectly rectangle so the shade can only block the square that it is. I refuse to buy the static ones because I hate seeing people with bubble windows. Like a bad tint job. I will not have a bubble window. I'd rather tape black construction paper to my window. I have to get back there while someone else is driving so I can really see how well the shade works.
   3. BABY MIRROR - must buy this!  I wish I would have gotten it when Nico was 3 weeks old. Warning: You have to remind yourself that you are still driving and can not watch your baby in the mirror. It is for checking on him/her or to look at stop lights. I would've been too distracted to have one of these when baby was younger than 3 weeks. I would've been watching him the whole time. Driving was my first experience trusting that he was ok even when I'm not watching. It was good for me to focus on driving and allow myself to ignore baby for the 10 minute car ride. It was also the first time I had to let him cry. Painful process but it was much needed. I still rarely let Nico cry for anything but at least I know I can and it will be ok. The mirror allows me to see if he's sleeping, if he's choking when he's coughing, if he's crying because he lost his toy or because something is really wrong and most importantly it allows for a great game of peek-a-boo when I stop at a light and turn around and he can see my face!
   4. CAR ORGANIZER - I recieved a full out back of the seat organizer and a simple diapers/wipes holder. The simple diaper/wipes is amazing. I have a hatchback so I hang it over the backseat head rest. When I'm in a pinch and need to change a diaper I open the trunk and have everything I need without having to dig through the diaper bag. Also handy when you forget to restock your diaper bag. You can always run to your car and have a back up supply. Just remember to replace diapers as baby grows. I think the full out organizer will be useful when Nico gets to be older and needs toys, snacks and games to occupy him but for now it's in his bedroom closet.


HOUSE STUFF

  
1.. BABY MONITOR - I actually got mine free. Toys R Us who never has good deals (or I always miss them) gave a monitor free if you bought $150 of stuff. We went in to buy a pack n play which was $140, the lady told us about the deal. So we bought something else small and got the free monitor. It wasn't the one I wanted but hey who cares, it was free. We planned on selling it (it's worth at least $100) and buying the one I wanted but we never did. I use it now. The battery lasts 5 minutes so we have to keep it plugged in but now I just use it to hear if he's crying.

SWINGS - I registered for this one Graco Duet Soothe Swing & Rocker....guess why.... it's multipurpose! My favorite thing. The seat is detachable..awesome...and is a rocker on it's own. Sweetness! I never got so I have no idea how well it works. Nico always wants me to walk around with him, even if I think he's sleeping and I try to rock him in a chair, he will wake up and cry. I like to imagine that he would sleep well in a swing or rocker but I have neither and I survived. So another thing that would be nice but you never know if it will work for your baby and you can survive without one.

PACk N PLAYS- MUST MUST MUST BUY ONE!! I didn't have a crib until Nico was almost 6 months old. He slept in my room next to the bed in his pack n play. I wouldn't have done it any other way. He still sleeps in there. He naps in his crib but I'm too lazy to wake up in the middle of the night and walk all the way to his room to feed him. IMPORTANT: know what you need from a pack n play. I needed storage because I didn't have a dresser or anything next to it so I made sure the one I picked had room for diapers/wipes. You don't need a ton of storage, two spots will work. Nico preferred the newborn napper part to the bassinet until he was about 2 months old. He got too big for it. I think the slightly elevated position helped him sleep. MAKE sure the bassinet part is full size, not half. Your baby will grow and will need to sleep long way. Nico can't get up from his back or belly so I still have him in the basinet. I'm dreading the day when he learns to get up and I have to lower it. My back is not going to like that. I'll have him in the crib by then, may be.

BATH - I have two. Now that Nico can sit up he loves his whale tub. He can splash and it's not too big or small. He gets a lot of water out of the tub so I would not recommend bathing a baby in the sink. I put him in the shower and pull the curtain half way so he can splash as much as he wants. I drain it, soap him up, rinse him and done. I never liked the idea of sitting in the water while you wash up. Before he could sit up or when I'm in a hurry I use the Brica ComforTemp tub. He's really too big for it but I remove the bottom piece so the water can just run thru and it makes quick work of cleaning a sticky, sweaty baby. SIDE NOTE: babies are hella slippery when wet. You gotta be super careful when they're in the tub. Never ever let them go. Also, Nico's first few baths were with me when he was newborn. I sat him in my lap and filled the regular tub about 6-10 inches. I held him under the arms and let him float around a little. He liked it. I didn't want him to be afraid of the water so I made his first experience with me keeping him close. He loves baths now, doesn't mind splashing water in his face or anything.

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BABY CLOTHES -

    Nico was a summer baby so he was naked (with diaper) or in a onesie for the first 2 months. All I can say is you can never have too many onesies. Don't get attached to any particular one. It will be outgrown or stained before you know it. Now I use sleepers and onesies. I love being able to have sleepers with and without feet and short and long sleeves. I can leave his feet out if it's cool. Long sleeves and feet on cold nights and short sleeves on warm nights. I like to keep Nico's legs covered when he's sleeping. Even though he's a hot baby and it's always warm here. I still keep him mostly covered at night. If I leave him in a onesie to sleep then I make him wear a sleep sack. Basically a wearable blanket. You can buy them in fleece or cotton. I had to get over my fear of baby sleeping with blankets when we visited Michigan for Christmas. It was so cold I had to wrap him in two blankets and place him on a fleece. I barely slept the first night, thinking he was going to pull one of the blankets over his face but he never did. The sleep sack is a great invention. Eliminates that fear. Anything that can  give you peace of mind is worth it's weight in gold. If you only buy clothes with snaps then you will hate snaps and go crazy. Vise versa with zippers so make sure you buy both so when you swear you will never snap another snap in your life, you will have zipper sleepers to put your baby in until you get over it.

   I prefer to use blankets rather then adding layers. It's easier to throw a blanket over him in his car seat then have to take him out to put a hoodie on him when we go out to eat and the restaurant is freezing. I have it easy, the biggest decision I usually have is whether to put on pants or shorts over the onesie. I always pack the one I don't put on baby.
  BIBS - these are a must. I hate keeping up with them but it's either  wear a bib or be wet and sticky. There is no bag big enough to store all the shirts you would need to keep a baby clean and dry. Little babies need soft small bibs and yes there is a difference. Some have a plastic back, those are for teething (drool) and eating. When the baby is newborn you just need a few soft bibs on hand at all times. One will last you a while but not all day. As baby gets older they have a little more control so they can stay clean a little longer. Then they start to teethe and you will need bibs again. I put a clean diaper and clothes on Nico just before I put him in his car seat. I put a bib on as soon as I get his shirt over his head. Without fail he spits up on fresh clothes. So it goes diaper, shirt, bib, pants, carseat. I also make sure the bib is under the straps of the seat so i don't have to worry about him chewing on it or him crying during the ride because it somehow got stuck over his face and he can't see. If someone will be sitting in the back with him then I leave it on top of the seat straps because it will keep his shirt and the straps clean and possible save his pants.

Okay, I have so much more to write but it's way past my bed time and the baby will be waking up in an hour. That leaves me 5 hours, hopefully 4 unbroken hours, of sleep. This blog thing might be the end of me. You should feel lucky that I'm sacrificing my sleep for you.