My four little girls

October 15th is National Day of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness. Although I actually knew that I was reminded the other day by a friend. It's not really known. It's not a national holiday so to speak, but for some, it's a special day in which to remember your babies who never made it.

Today at the gym I heard two older women talking in the locker room. They were talking about someone who recently miscarried and how she and her husband decided to send an email out to all their friends and families about her loss. One woman was saying, "I'm not sure why she needed to tell EVERYONE about this. It's a private matter". Really??? I couldn't help thinking. Why is it a private matter? If this woman wants to share her story with others why can't she? When did it become a "faux pas" to tell people that she was expecting a child and early on, the baby passed away. It's still a trauma for that mother and father. It's still a loss. Not matter how early on. Infertility or pregnancy loss is like a giant elephant in the room. You know it's there. You don't talk about it or point it out. If you don't make eye contact maybe it will just walk away. And after it does, you don't bring it up because maybe the elephant will come back. Well to me, that's not really fair for anyone.

I have known my fair share of women who have gone through a similar trauma but it was never made public to me until I shared with them that we had our own loss. I have known people who keep it a secret but also people who decided to be very public about it and send even a letter or a mass email or however they decide to tell people. To me, I think that is part of the healing process. When we lost our little one in March 2011, I felt that people did not want me to tell anyone about this. I heard comments about how this is something that is private and they didn't want to share it with anyone and I should just not do that (no offense to my family or friends if they are reading this - everyone was very supportive but it was just kind of a silent issue). Well, why? Why can't women talk about it? Can we only share our stories when we are in therapy or a church setting? Do we have to wait until October 15th to remember our child? Even my husband never brought it up after the fact. For him, I know he knows it made me sad and I know he didn't want that. But today for whatever reason, I can't help thinking about her. I guess I'm choosing to write about it here because I know not a lot of people read this and I think all hell would break loose if I ever posted anything directly on facebook for all 625 or whatever people would see it. God Forbid I make a public statement. People would be calling my parents and my in laws or mentioning it to my husband. Why oh why is that woman sharing her feelings? I guarantee there would be other women who would share my feelings and join in silent prayer on October 15th with me but again, that is a public forum and we can't talk about such things in public. I would hate to offend anyone in my healing process. I have family and friends who have been through similar and yet drastically different losses and I guess I just want them to know that I will pray for their little one too. Which is funny because I'm not an overly religious person and I don't pray a lot but when it comes to this subject, I guess I can make an exception.

It's been over a year since my little girl was supposed to be born on September 11, 2011. Since then we have welcomed another girl into the world and we cannot be happier but I can't help but think about the little angel that we lost. I refer to "her" as a girl because well, let's face it.... we make girls. We have three so I assume the little one was a girl too. In my head, she has a name which I never shared with anyone. I'm sure some people would think that is silly since we were only 12 weeks along but not to me. I was still having a child. I was in even in maternity clothes.... took belly pics because let's face it, I was showing with my third child. To some people it probably wasn't a big deal, but not to me.... not to her mom.

I just put my third daughter who is almost 9 months old down for a nap and cuddled with her for a bit. I can't imagine my life without her. I know God works in weird ways and does things for a reason which is kind of crazy thing to think about and if you ever say that to someone who just lost a pregnancy or infant they would probably secretly be VERY mad at you. I remember someone said that to me and I was not really very thrilled with the statement. It made it worse.

So if you reading this, don't go calling my parents and tell them that I'm off my rocker. I'm just kind of having a sad day and I needed to write this down and then be done with it. I never shared this with anyone else and this is the only way I know how without causing a fuss. My other girls will be home soon and it will be business as usual in my household. Happy Mom. Happy Mom. Happy Mom.

So this October 15th, say a prayer for all the little ones who were born sleeping or who we never got to meet. Say a prayer for my little girl in heaven. And I'll say a prayer for yours.

I'm a BabyGear Mama and I am a mom of FOUR little girls. Three have feet here on Earth and one has wings in Heaven.

Okay, enough of the sap. My girls are home. Time for some fun.

Happy Baby Thoughts.
:)R

Order of Chicken McNuggets and Fat Loss in a Can, please

Being a mom is pretty hard. On a variety of different levels. To actually have carried the child is pretty traumatizing to your body. Just think about it. You have somewhat of a good figure when you get pregnant, then your uterus and everything in its way blows up to the size of a fricking watermelon... A WATERMELON!!!! Then all of a sudden the watermelon is a removed and you are supposed to be normal looking again. Ever blow up a balloon.... keep it blown up for 9 months, then let the air out??? Chances are, that little balloon will not be the same small shape.

I've had three watermelons in my uterus and it definitely is not the same. I'm traumatized. It's traumatized. When I got pregnant the first time, I really didn't know what I was doing. I gained about SIXTY pounds. Yep, that's right. 6 - 0 - pounds. I weighed more than my husband who is 6 foot 4 inches. I blame it on the two trips downstairs to the cafe in the building in which I worked. I would stop for breakfast, then get to work and be hungry again. Twice. And the sciatica prevented me from working out. Yep, I'm going to blame it on that. Took me a while but I finally took off the weight and then some but it took a lot of hard work and the help of a small village (aka weight watchers) and throwing out all bad food in the house. It helped that my husband is a health nut and would blow an air horn every time I put a carb in my mouth. He was pretty supportive but I'm sure he got annoyed with me. I'm like the person who asks someone else to wake them up at a certain time... then that time comes and they come in to wake you up and you scream at them because you don't want to be woken up. I told my husband, PLEASE HELP ME DO THIS, I HAVE SIZE 4 JEANS I WANT TO WEAR. Then when time came and I was eating something bad, he would "gently remind me" and I would bite his head off and scream and he would throw his arms up in confusion. I'm a very angry person when I don't have carbs.

Being a mom on the go is pretty hard, especially when my kids have all this yummy food and I so want to finish what's on their plate. Ever go out to dinner and order a kids meal and you as the mom end up finishing the meal??? Yep that is me. I think the last straw for me after we had our first kid was I went to a party and the person I was talking to said something about a woman across the room. They mentioned that they didn't know she was pregnant and how excited they were for her. I knew for a 100% fact that SHE WAS NOT PREGNANT but that was definitely a maternity top because I had the same one. I prayed and prayed that this person did not go up and say something to her. I didn't want to be that person. The person who 10 months after the baby is born is still in her maternity clothes.

After the second child, I decided to resort to weight watchers. That for me was pretty easy and I made my goal within about 5 weeks. I loved it because you could add "activity points" and get to "earn food back". I was the youngest and most active person there by far. I think they looked at me a little weird when on my chart converting activity to food I put "14 mile run" and they didn't even know how many points to give me back. I'm pretty sure no one had ever run that far and asked that question. I do thank them for helping me. Another challenge was between my second and third child, we were actually pregnant for third time. I made it to second trimester when I found out that we had lost the baby. I had already gone into my maternity clothes and gained about 10 pounds because not only did I gain weight from the baby but it was also a Christmas holiday which I blame on the vast amount of food we consumed down in Florida. Getting home and being in stretchy pants was nice, but when we miscarried, I felt horrible that I had added some pounds and now didn't have any reason for it. I worked harder then ever. Emotionally it was upsetting because the weight reminded me of the loss, but over time, I stopped eating my kids Chicken McNuggets and my body and my mind healed.

I've decided now that since I'm 6 months post baby with my last child, our third and wonderful gift from God, that I'm not as excited about getting back into those size 4 pants as I once was. I guess I'll never have another excuse to not fit into them. I have no more maternity clothes in the house so I pretty much live in workout clothes because after all, they are stretchy. I have a goal of getting back into my size 4s in the next few months but right now I'm enjoying my light beer sitting on the back porch watching my children play in the backyard. I'm not that far off my goal, and I know it will come. But I'm really in no hurry. At least not this week. I've gotten back into the workout routine once I picked my uterus off the floor and healed my broken foot, so I guess I just need to get my kids back into school to focus on getting back to myself. As a mom, the hardest thing to do for me is to keep up with things that I NEED to do..... like workout, run, read books and find time for me. Not Mommy, but ME.

Kindergarten starts in two weeks. My oldest is going off to "real school". Going on a bus. I'm kind of sad and kind of happy. I'm happy for her to start this new adventure. At our elementary school, they have this event on the first day of school called "Boo Hoo Yahoo". It's for a social for parents after they drop their kids off at school or have their kids jump on the bus. They can't either come and cry "boo hoo" that their child is going to school and all grown up or they can cry "yahoo" that they are super excited that their kids are going to school and they will have no more kids at home. I guess I will be doing both this year. I'm not too sad since I have two other kids still at home but I'm a little sad that my little one is old enough to go on this adventure by herself. I know she will do well. She makes friends very easily and I know that this is the first step that she has to do on her own.

I'm writing this I guess because I'm day 3 of my new workout program and healthy eating kick. A friend recently posted on how she is going "carb free" and I am attempting to do this. The only carb I have had today is this beer and so far I feel great. I have been doing TURBO FIRE workouts and P90X with my husband. I can't wait to see the results.

As for now, I'm enjoying my kids and trying to find time for ME, not for mommy. Mommy has plenty of time during the day.

Happy Baby Thoughts:)
R

That kid stole my stuff.... KID LABELS - MOM APPROVED

For the past few years, my kids have been going to some sort of school. Starting at 18 months, my oldest went to Mother's Day Out, then Montessori Preschool, now off to Kindergarten. You have to pack extra clothes, sippy cups, lunches. We have lost shoes, jackets, hats, lunch boxes etc. One time I actually some a girl walk out of school with my kids shoes on. Really? Well I guess I forgot to label her shoes! I was on a mission to find some good labels. I quickly discovered LABELYOURSTUFF.COM. It's a really great site that has all sort of labels for every occasion. I'll share with you some of my favorites.

Bag Tags: I have three girls. I have so many bags I have no where to put them. Label Your Stuff has some awesome labels. They have great designs. My oldest recently picked out this one for her school bag. We put her name and this unicorn picture on the front and we put our address and my phone number on the back. Great idea. For those of you who have children with allergies, they make an awesome Allergy Alert Tag. My second daughter was allergic to Soy, Dairy and Corn for the first three years of her life. We got her these allergy alert tags. We put one on her bag and one on her lunch box.

Another great option for Allergies are the allergy alert stickers. For my middle bean, we put these stickers on her back for the first few weeks of school until the teachers and aides were able to UNDERSTAND that she could not have certain foods. It really came in handy. They teachers loved them. If you have a child with allergies, consider getting these. 

Another great option from LabelYourStuff.com are the shoe labels. Especially during the winter, my kids were taking off their shoes at school and putting on boots. It helped the teachers identify the shoes. I found that these shoe labels lasted the entire school year. Instead of putting their first name on the labels I just got a bunch with our last name on them. That way they are interchangeable between children and it saves me money. Consider getting a "starter pack" which comes with several different types of labels.

My favorite labels are the WATERPROOF LABELS (by the way the shoe labels can be found in the waterproof section as they are waterproof. score.) These waterproof labels are great for baby bottles, sippy cups, plastic containers that go in lunch boxes. I have a packet of labels for each child with their first and last name. These have saved me several times as I tend to forget bottles and sippy cups.

Last but not least, another great label is the "gift label". We are constantly going to birthday parties and I splurged on these labels. They are cute, easy to use. I even gave some to a friend of mine as a gift for THEIR KIDS! They come with different designs and even for christmas! Once I stuck one on a bottle of wine :)

Bottom line, is if you have kids, I recommend this site. They have sales throughout the year. I believe they are having a promo right now for July - use coupon code "LABELS10".  I hope you like them as much as I do. They also have iron-on labels.  I own them as they came in my original "camp pack" that I bought a few years ago, but I don't own an iron so never used them! Give them a try.

Happy Baby Thoughts!
:)R

WAHMIES WET BAGS - because kids are sticky and wet

It seems that the second wave of friends are now starting to have babies. I have tons of friends who have kids who are around my kids' age but now I find that I'm going to a lot of "first time" baby showers. I love doing that. I love going to see the glowing mom and listen to her excitement. She is going to go through what I went through 6 years ago when I had my first shower. I like to be on the "outside" looking in. I was reminded today as I was shopping for a friend's baby shower about a great product that I have recently discovered. Here is the 411.

So as a mom of a little baby, you quickly find out that things get wet. Sippy cups leak in your purse. Things get knocked over and spill. You get thrown up on. Or they throw up on your neighbor. Kids pee out of their diaper or pee on you. Or pee on the floor. Or have a poop blow out in the store and you have forgotten a spare set of clothes. I remember being in Babies R Us several years ago with my oldest and she had a horrible blow out while she was in the shopping cart. I started to panic. I ran out of wipes, had to run to the diaper section and buy more wipes. Then I realized I had just used her last outfit for the last blow out she had right before we left so I had to rip the tags off of the new outfit I grabbed from Aisle 7 and put it on her. I think one time I even wheeled around my baby in just a diaper because I refused to buy more clothes. Not sure why I didn't have any with me.... maybe I just decided I had enough and decided I wanted to make as many people stare at me as possible and left my child naked in the cart. Anyways, back to the product, what do you do with the wet clothes? Say you are at a park and you need to stash things somewhere. You DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT, want to put that wet outfit in your purse. I've done that. I decided I need to find some sort of dri-fit bag that could hold things. Thus the  new product.

These bags are called WAHMIES. I love them. They are super waterproof. They are a durable, washable and have cute prints. They come in three sizes.... small, regular and all day size. We only have the small and the all day size. They are designed for my moms who use cloth diapers. As you know, crunchy moms like that need all the waterproofing they can get their hands on. The small holds one diaper and one outfit. I use them as a small holder for one small onsie, a small packet of wipes and a diaper. It's the perfect size for me to go to the gym. I actually keep it in my diaper bag so I have everything in one spot. The bag comes in handy in case I need to put anything wet in there. The regular size bag I believe holds a few diapers. Either way you can't lose. I have several of the small ones. I actually sometime just give the small bag to my husband so he doesn't have to lug the diaper bag to and from the gym or wherever he is taking the baby.

What I have discovered is my FAVORITE bag is the ALL DAY BAG. Its HUGE. It comes with a great quality snap hook on the top. I have one bag for swimming. Ever see that mom who lugs their kids to the pool with the huge open top boat bag spilling out with towels, suits, sunscreen, sand shovels, goggles???? Well that's me. I'm dropping things left and right. Well recently I decided to downgrade and not use that huge bag. When we go to swim lessons, I take my All Day bag. I put two towels, change of clothes for each and their goggles. When they are old enough, they will each get a day bag. My oldest loves carrying it because it's pretty and has a carrying handle. So I put their wet towels, wet suits and goggles in there when we leave. Take it directly to the laundry room, empty contents into the washer (sans goggles of course) and throw the bag in there as well. Viola. Done. I love this bag. It's a wet bag. It's a mom's best friend.

There are so many uses for this bag. So my suggestion to you is to check them out. If you are a seasoned mom going to a first time mom shower, think of giving them these. By the way, I buy them on Ebay. Much cheaper.

Let me know your stories. I hope I'm not alone in my debacles of being a crazy mommy running around the store because I've just been thrown up on. The best was one time I actually had to cut a onsie off my child because it was so bad I didn't want to pull it over her head and drag the stuff through her hair. And also, as a third time mom who is not having any more kids, I don't even save the badly soiled outfit. In the trash it goes, it's not even worth the worry. Either way, would have been great to have these bags in a lot of situations that I had with my first child.

If you do get them, I hope you enjoy them. Or give them to a new mom, I'm sure they will love them!

Happy Baby Thoughts :)
R

How NOT to make your baby scream her head off - Mom's Fav New Tool

I think the worst day of my life as a new mommy was the day that I carelessly cut my daughter's fingernails. As we all know, baby's fingernails are always sharp and long. They scratch her face, your face, your arms, her belly. They are CONSTANTLY growing. You trim them one day, the next morning they are razor sharp and you have to do it again. When you walk through the baby store, you see lots of infant fingernail clippers. There are ones that look like adults, there are cheap ones and expensive ones. I think now they have the one with the magnifying glass and a flashlight on the end. We just had the plain Safety 1st ones that have a bigger handle. The problem with those are when you are attempting to cut their nails you really can't see "the underside" of the nail and you don't know when you hit skin. You don't know what's going on until you hear the shreeeeeeking coming from your child.

It happened to me one day when I was on vacation visiting my parents. My oldest was a few months old. I remember the night vividly. We were sitting on the couch and I had the TV in the background. I had just gotten off the phone. I started to cut little bean's nails and then I heard it. Screaming. OH MY GOD. I have never heard a child scream so loud in my life. I was thinking I was going to remove the nail clipper to find I had cut off her entire finger, but of course it was a little snip. It was bleeding a little but boy did she scream. I was crying. She was screaming. I called for my mom. I felt like a horrible mother. What the hell just happened? I caused pain to my child. Something I did hurt my child. My life was over. Okay, well if you know me, I'm a little dramatic. Anyways, I'm sure it was no big deal and that everyone has had this happen to them but wow did I feel bad. She calmed down after a little bit but I will never forget the look on her face. A happy smiling child...then a smile turned upside down, then a pink face turned red and she screamed and screamed. Cracked my heart right in half.

After I recovered from that I vowed never to cut her fingernails again. She of course was not scarred by it. I really just nicked the quick of her nail but to me it was traumatizing. I guess the moral of my story is, I know several people who have done this to their child so it made me feel better to know I was not alone.

And so, as a mom who loves gadgets and the fact that I'm in a constant search of something that's better than what I have, I wanted to see what other solution could I find to my fear of cutting my children's nails (by the way, the same thing goes with my dog..... I cut her nails once and never again - I pay the vet to do it).

This is my solution!!!! I recently found an article in a parenting magazine. It was a mom who reviewed this product and loved it. She too had cut her child's nails a little too short and caused excruciating pain to her infant. She too had been a bad mom. I ordered this product when my third daughter was born. I was a little hesitant because it's TEN DOLLARS for a nail clipper but let me tell you, I love it. I'm going to give it to every new mom I know. I'm sure there are other ones like it out there at the baby store, but I like this one. It got good reviews at Amazon.com (my favorite online store).

PIYO PIYO BABY NAIL SCISSORS (Precision made for baby's nails)

This product comes with a cute cover. Decorated with a fuzzy little duck. If you are going to be a new mom or dad, consider getting this tool. Or you could just wait until you try and cut your child's nails. Remember, the first few weeks the nails are LITERALLY PAPER THIN. My doc said don't try to cut their nails, just get some emory boards and file them down a bit. I love those shirts that have the hand covers on them. Or the little mittens. Once they are a little older you can actually cut their nails.

As a mom of three girls and a mom who has traumatized herself and her child, I highly recommend these. You can actually see the underneath when you cut and you can not only see the top of the nail but also the bottom. All from a good angle. Good precision and stability. If you don't believe me, read the reviews on amazon. You won't regret the purchase. 

That's my two cents. 

Happy Baby Thoughts

:)R

Car Seat Dilemma - 5pt or Booster?

So many people have different opinions on car seats. Do you need the top model? Are they all the same? What about using a 5pt harness for a longer period of time? Did you know they actually expire? When do you turn them forward facing? I have tons of these questions and I need other moms and dads to chime in.

Lets start with the last question. When do you turn them around??? According to a NYTimes article in 2011, Children should be rear facing until age 2. The advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics,  is based primarily on a 2007University of Virginia study finding that children under 2 are 75 percent less likely to suffer severe or fatal injuries in a crash if they are facing the rear. Now I turned my first child around the day before her first birthday. The second one we turned around about a week after her first birthday. Now with the third, they are telling us until age 2. Will you follow that recommendation? I know all of our children survived when they were forward facing at 1 but it only takes one time for that to change. I know it's frustrating to have a kid backwards. They can't see anything and it's easier just in general. Since my kids are so small, I think I better listen to the recommendations. You see online about those horrible accidents and the kid lived because they were backwards. Good advice. What will you do?


As for which seat to use after they are in their "convertible car seat", I have to recommend a model in which the child can stay in the 5pt harness for up to 85 pounds. Yep, 85 pounds. It's called a Frontier 85 from Britax and I love it. It's not more expensive than the other seats such as a Marathon or a Boulevard. Both my children who are 3 and 5 have them. I know people complain about keeping their 5 year old 50 pounds kid in a 5 point harness but until she complains and it becomes a daily struggle that I can't handle it anymore, she is staying in it. I got her the fun cow print so she actually loves her seat. She shows it to everyone. It's got a flat bottom and it's very roomy. You don't have to re-thread the straps so it just lifts up and the straps get bigger. My mini 24 pounds 3.5 year old is also in one. Hers is on the lowest setting. My 5 year old still has plenty of room. We went from the Graco Nautilus to this one. The crotch strap on the Nautilus was getting too tight and it was on the largest setting. Could we use a booster? Well, for the older one, yes. The younger one, no. I don't know why I don't like them. I just don't. They feel flimsy. I guess we could use the Nautilus as a booster, but we have it in dad's car for the 3 year old. I'm just not ready to rely on a seat belt for a child. Am I being paranoid? Yes. Is this making it harder on myself? Probably. I just hope no one tells my kids that they don't have to be in a 5pt harness at 5 years old and they can be in the one with the seat belt. Here is the Frontier 85. I paid $219 for it on AlbeeBaby.com. We have one in hot pink and one in cow print :

Do you see how it's flat at the bottom? I like that. Lots of room for the kids legs. I like the double cup holder. The backrest goes up and down. The arm rests are not huge. I'm just a big fan. Check online for good deals but I find amazon.com and albeebaby.com have good sales.


If you want to be more informed, check out these videos on the benefits of keeping your child in a 5pt harness longer. 


Kyle Miller's Story of 5pt Harness Safety
Belle's Gift - 5pt Harness Story


As for seats expiring, they really do. The plastic begins to breakdown. Even if it has not been in a crash and has been stored covered and inside, they still expire. We have to get a new convertible car seat for our third daughter which is why I'm looking now and starting to think about new seats. Back to the research board on getting a rear facing to front facing car seat. Hopefully this is the last or second to last one that I will ever buy!


Happy Baby Thoughts :)
R

Baby's First Foods

Something I always had questions about was first foods for baby. I think I started with my first child around 4-5 months. That was over 5 years ago so it's kind of a blurr so I'll touch on my last two kids and relay what I learned there.

How to know they are ready? My kids always "told" me when they were ready. My newest bean is almost 5 months and about a week ago I noticed she was smacking her lips together. My doctor always said that was a sign. Last week we started with a little rice cereal mixed with formula. I made it as thin as possible. She didn't quite get how to put it in her mouth. She smushed it around around and stuck out her tongue. I tried a few spoonfuls, she didn't really get any in there. I tried a few hours later. The next day we started with some sweet potatoes. My doctor always said try the same vegetable for three days... as many times as she is interested, then move on to a next vegetable. But give it three days. If she tolerates it (meaning doesn't get sick etc) then you can go onto the next step. Little Bean is doing great on sweet potatoes right now. We have done three days of that, today we are trying carrots.

Now what can go wrong you ask??? Well lets revisit my second child which as you have already been told has had MASSIVE digestive issues. We didn't start her on cereal/solid foods until 6 months or so. Some background information: The middle bean was projectile vomiting for 10-12 times a day from birth. I'm not talking spit up, I'm talking across the room, hit the wall, soak your mother kind of vomiting. You had to see it to believe it. We started putting rice cereal in her bottles when she was young per recommendation from the doctor to help her keep her food down. I think it just made it worse. She just threw that stuff up and it made her choke on it. She got so constipated that we had to put corn syrup in her bottle. Again, made it worse. It was a cyclical issue and it was one problem after another. We decided giving her "real food" was just adding fuel to the fire. We tried Oatmeal to start with (since we figured she had enough of the rice) and she was pretty miserable. I think when those issues were solved we did the solid food. She was still really plugged up. Just kind of a bad experience. Now for our first child, we never had those problems and we are hoping and assuming that this newest and last bean won't have any issues. SOOOO, the middle bean started with organic sweet potatoes, then carrots, then green beans, then we went to the fruits... apples, pears, prunes. Eventually she was eating normal but we went VERY VERY SLOW. You don't have to do that. That is the game plan for the newest addition. Slow and steady to make sure she has no reactions.

What type of baby food you ask???? Well with my first one, we bought a mini Cuisinart Food Processor with some credit we had left over from our wedding. Its a great little gadget. I boiled my own sweet potatoes, peas, apples, and anything else I could think of. We had a great book called HOMEMADE BABY FOOD PURE AND SIMPLE. Loved that book. Probably not in print any more but you get the idea that there are plenty of books out there. Now if you are a first time parent, go ahead and make your own baby food. Go out and get the Baby Bullet by Magic Bullet. I would have been all over that when I was a first time mom. Second time mom???? Well, if you are able to do it, then that's awesome. I'm a third time mom. I don't even go to the store. I buy ALL MY BABY FOOD AND DIAPERS ONLINE. Never go into a store. That's my rule.

We buy organic. I figure if I can't make it, it might as well be organic. We buy the cases of Earth's Best baby food. They come in starter packs. First Fruits. First Veggies.

When they get into the Stage 2 and they can tolerate thicker foods, we move onto the next step. Earth's Best makes some awesome mixes of food. My favorite are the fruit and grain combinations. We definitely are going to order online. Try Amazon.com, Diapers.com, Drugstore.com, Target.com. I love free shipping. Anywhere that has sales. My kids tend to eat TONS but don't buy too much in advance as you never know if they will like a certain type. Also, remember they make pouches of babyfood now and the company Plum Organics makes those spoons that screw onto the top of them. Check this out:

What was your kid's favorite babyfood?

As for the STAGE 3. We never really made it there. By the time my kids had teeth and could chew those little noodles in there, we were onto table food. I started with soft avocados, then moved onto edamame and cut them up after I took them out of their shell. They loved them. I tried to do a few jars of the Stage 2 combinations and some table food. Again, it depends on when they had teeth. My children had teeth early. A full mouth by age one. No wonder my 5 year old has lost 2 teeth and has 3 more loose. 

As for what to put your kid into when they are starting out? My mini bean is in her swing right now and I'm getting ready to give her more carrots. Just letting her tummy settle. She will be eating in that thing or her car seat until she can sit up and go in her high chair. 

Speaking of high chair, one chair I always recommend for moms and dads is a great product from Fisher Price. It's the Healthy Care Booster Seat. We take this thing everywhere. Restaurants, friends houses. We use it in our own kitchen. Love love love. It comes in two models.... one with a tray top and one without one. DON'T get the one with a top, you will never use it. Best $30 we ever spent.

Well better go finish feeding the baby. By the way, feeding solids helps my kids sleep better. :) Yeah for sleeping more. 

Let me know your thoughts on feeding.

Happy Baby Thoughts

:)R

0 to 1...1 to 2...or 2 to 3???

The most common question I get when I'm at the store as a mother of three girls ages 5 and under -besides for "Ma'am can I help you????" (usually from someone who has only one child or two young children is.... "was it harder to go from 1 to 2, or 2 to 3 kids???". I'm pretty sure I asked someone that same question when I was pregnant with my third child. You are always a little concerned about taking the next step... having the next child. Will you be able to handle that second child? Will that third child throw you over the edge??? I think for some people the answer to that question depends on their children. Did the first child sleep through the night pretty quickly? Were they up all night still with the first one when the second one was born? I was asked this exact question a few weeks ago from a mom who was pregnant with her third. She asked how old my two oldest were and figured out they are the same age as hers. I told her that of course the worst was behind her, that having the third was not that bad. Pretty much told her the truth but left out the haze of the first few weeks of having the third child. After all, we all have selective amnesia, right? We don't remember those days. And if we do, we sure don't tell an 8 month pregnant lady ready to take on the same task.

Now for us, our first child was pretty good. Sleeping through night at around 4 months of age. Lots of ear infections but nothing we couldn't handle. I was tired. Very tired. But with a little Starbucks and spending 8 hours a day at our local gym in Nebraska and the help of a great friend and some bottles of wine for mom, I was fine (of course not while I was watching the baby). We were ready to take on number 2 when she was around 18 months of age. Well, ready to THINK about taking on #2. Our second child was a whole new ball game. Not sleeping through the night until FOURTEEN MONTHS...thats right, 14 months. She was up every hour on the hour for about 4 months. No joke. It was pretty bad. Then it kind of spread out and she stopped projectile vomiting and screaming so things got better just wasn't a big sleeper. The "colic" stopped and we all felt like we were going to survive. I didn't want to think about having more kids until she was about 2 or later.... we just wouldn't be able to handle it.

I met a woman the other day who started talking to me about her want to have another child but they are having so many issues with their first (allergy, sleeping, possible autism and/or behavioral issues) that they  want to have another child but are afraid that the second one will be just as big of a challenge. I guess you never know what God is going to give you. I was on the fence with a third but wow, what a difference a few months makes. Our third is a God-Send. Literally "sent from God" to put a calming peace in our lives. She sleeps 12 hours a night and I'm just hoping that she stays as happy and healthy and continues to light up the room when people come in. She slept through the night at 7 weeks. Yep, 7 weeks. I couldn't believe it. I think God was trying to tell me something. Still a little crying here and there, but overall, pretty awesome.

I think all men whenever they talk about kids, I always hear them say... "Much easier to go from 'man on man' defense to 'zone defense'. They love the basketball metaphor. I guess they are right. We are now outnumbered by our three girls. If I could sprout another set of hands for the baby, that would be better. For me, it was harder for me to have that second child than to have the third. When you have the first, your world actually stops. You can stay home. You don't have to work for three months. You can stay in your pajamas all day long. Everyone says, "nap when the baby naps". Really?? I hadn't thought of that. You are so fricking tired, you have never been up this much in your life without alcohol being involved. You sleep standing up. You fall asleep with the baby in your arms and somehow not manage to drop her. I remember feeding her in the chair and somehow I wake up and it's three hours later and neither of us have moved. Not sure how that happened.

With your second, you probably have to get up at some point to feed the older one but the first one probably still naps so you can sleep when the older one sleeps and nap when the baby naps. You are once again tired but you manage to make it through the day. Its the art of juggling that you learn when you have your second. If you were not a multitasker before, you quickly learn how to do it. My second was definitely the hardest. She screamed for 6 hours a day straight. Straight. And always when no one else was home. Projectile vomited. Several times a day. And when no one else was home. I was beginning to think no one believed me until she did it on my husband and he was a believer. AND I still had to watch the older one. I still had to get up. I still had to make breakfast. And it seemed like once I got the baby to bed, the toddler would be up. It never ended. I was ready to call it quits on kids right there but somehow, someway, you forget and you realize that your life is not complete yet. You want a third.

The third child. The world does not stop. There is no break. No downtime. As soon as family leaves and your husband goes back to work... BAM... you are back. Still have to drive to preschool or Kindergarten. You still have to go to playdates and soccer and swimming. Still have a routine. You can't miss a step. The third baby kind of gets the short end of the stick. No scheduled nap times. We are not home from standard 1-4pm for nap time. They sleep in the car all the time. You keep moving on and driving. You have two other kids. I once asked someone if it was hard to go from 3 to 4 and they said "No... what's one more when you are up that high". When I was growing up, there was a family with SEVEN GIRLS in their family. No idea how their mother did it. I guess "when you are up that high, what's one more". By the way, they are the awesomest family ever (if that's even a word). I'm sure they had their share of chaos, but ORGANIZED chaos from what I could see. Very cool.

So Mom and Dads, I want to know..... was it harder to go from 0 to 1? 1 to 2? or 2 to 3? or were they all the same??????

BE SURE TO VISIT THE POLL ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE PAGE REGARDING WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE.

Happy Baby Thoughts
:)R

Mom's solution to "I see London...I see France" - UNDEROUTS

Knickerbocker-Glory UNDEROUTS

My oldest daughter ONLY wears dresses. She doesn't own one pair of pants that are not leggings to go under dresses. I bought her some shorts this year but she really only wants to wear twirly dresses and leggings, she does NOT want to wear shorts under her dress. I remember going to Catholic School and having to wear that plaid jumper. I used to wear shorts underneath because I would be hanging upside down on the jungle gym and boys would be looking up my skirt or at least my mother always thought they would be. I got yelled at for breaking uniform and wearing shorts. I'm sure after a while they started to let the girls wear shorts but this product would have been perfect for girls who want to be girls and have fun just like the boys. Hanging upside down. That's my girls. Playing and hanging around like monkeys. They do it at home so I'm sure they do it at school. My oldest will be in Kindergarten this fall so I'm sending her to school in these.

In the summer, it's too hot. I saw something somewhere that talked about UNDEROUTS which are "underwear that are made to be seen". I looked online and really liked what I saw!!! These things are high quality underpants that are more like bike shorts. Usually we buy the Gymboree bike shorts but I think these are a little bit cooler and hold up better. And technically she doesn't need to wear underwear UNDER them. They are underwear.

They came today. I got her a pair of pink and lime green boxer style. She put them right away and started running toward the playground. I always tell her to go upstairs and change because no one wants to see her underwear but with these I don't think I will have to. She is 5 and fits into a size SMALL. Got some for the younger child who is a small 3 year old. She fits in a toddler XXS. They come in Bikerbockers, LongBockers and BoxerBockers. We got the Boxerbockers. They are the shorter ones. I plan on getting a pair of Bikerbockers that can go under some other shorter dresses. Perhaps in the fall we will get the longer ones.

Check them out. If you have a daughter who likes to wear dresses, go for it!!! Become their friend on Facebook and look for sales.

Knickerbocker-Glory Underouts

Swings, Bouncers and More

Having three kids is a little nutty. I haven't been able to sit down and not fall asleep. Just posted an update on Swings, Bouncers and other items. I go down a list of things that we use on a daily basis. These things I can't wait to get rid of them when the baby gets older :) 

Happy Reading.

http://babygearmama.blogspot.com/p/swings-bouncers-and-playthings.html

Booster Seats - Saving Your Child's Life - What Every Parent Should See

I have been debating on whether or not I wanted to post about this. Every time I see this video I start to freak out as a mother. You do your best every day to protect your child. You think you are buying the right seat and making the right decision. I don't know what happened with this situation but I'm sure the choices that the mother made haunt her every day. I bet she did everything right. She listened to her doctor and the manufacturer and put her child in the right seat, but I guess it wasn't enough. The seatbelt failed.

When my daughter was three, I started to consider when I should move her to a High Back Booster seat. I started to do some research and I came across this video. 

Please view his story: STORY OF KYLE DAVID MILLER

I went to the store to look at booster seats. I went online and read reviews. We already had a Graco High Back Booster from my niece who came to visit. My child was already 3 years and 30 pounds which was the minimum requirement for this seat. What I soon learned is this is more of a seat belt positioner than a car seat. It raises the child up so the seat belt can properly restrain the child. In the video above, it appears that the seat belt locking mechanism failed and the three year old was thrown from the car. This made my heart sink into the pit of my stomach. I know the parents did what they thought was right but perhaps the child was too small for the seat? Or did the belt actually fail? My pediatrician says to keep them in a 5 point harness as long as possible. That is what I have done.

I found a wonderful 5 point harness CAR SEAT that goes up to 85 pounds comfortably. It's called the Britax Frontier85 Booster Car Seat and we love it. My daughter is FIVE YEARS OLD and 50 POUNDS. She could have gone in the High Back Booster two years and twenty pounds ago but I made a choice. Yes, we still have the High Back Booster but we use it only in emergencies. I let a friend borrow it the other day to transport my daughter. I don't like it but I'll use it. I really want to keep her in the 5 point harness for as long as possible. Just a choice I made. Yes, she may be 7 years old and still in that seat. I plan on getting another one when my middle daughter grows out of her Convertible Car Seat but that won't be for a while since my three year old is only 10th percentile in weight and height. These seats are not cheap but I think they are well worth it. By the way, since my daughter is 5 years old, she is able to buckle and unbuckle herself. It does not take me any time at all to put her in the car as she does it herself. One criticism of the "seat belt positioner" is that some children are wiggly-worms and don't sit still and the seat belt positioner does not work properly. Consider the maturity of your child before you put them in there!

Please watch this video. Even if you don't make the decision to keep your child in a 5 point harness for a longer period of time than what is recommended, at least you will be informed.

By the way, the Britax Frontier 85 comes in COWMOOFLAGE color as shown below and your 5 year old will love it!!!! We got ours at Albeebaby.com. We paid about $212 including free shipping ;)

PLEASE VIEW THE VIDEO ON THE STORY OF KYLE DAVID MILLER AND HOW YOU CAN SAVE YOUR CHILD'S LIFE BY PUTTING THEM IN A 5 POINT HARNESS. 

For more information on the story of Kyle David Miller, please visit their website

Whooping Cough - Baby killer - It can happen

That's not a very happy title for a blog but you really need to read this.

My sisters reminded me that I needed to get vaccinated for whooping cough and so did my husband. I had heard of it by thought it was an ancient disease that no one ever got anymore. Boy was I wrong. I did some research on it and came across this blog of a someone who lost their 27 day old baby. As I hold my one month old baby I can't help think about that family and the tragedy they went through. Please read and make sure mom and dad both get vaccinated (according to my OB you can't get vaccinated while pregnant but they do it in the hospital and i made my husband go to his doc to get that and a flu shot before we came home) It could save your baby's life.


http://kennethaskorner.weebly.com/1/post/2011/12/first-post.html

Sick Kids - When it rains, it pours

I'm writing this entry from the waiting room at Children's Hospital. The middle bean is having her tonsils and adenoids out. I've been through this exact surgery before with the older one but it doesn't really get any easier. I know she will be fine but as a mom you never really stop worrying about them. Over the past few months this child has had several ear infections, croup, and two rounds of strep throat. We have been on several different kinds of antibiotics and the doc says it's time to get the tonsils out. They are just a breeding ground for bacteria. I'm sure the surgery will be quick but I can't wait for it to be over. Middle Bean is just two years old so once again I have to spend the night in the hospital. I had to do the same with my older one who was three when she had hers taken out. I swear that my children should come out of the womb with no tonsils, adenoids and a set of tubes in their ears.

It's kind of a crap-shoot on whether or not your child will have ear infections. Must be the way my children's ears are shaped because we get them all the time. Some say kids who bottle feed get more ear infections but I don't buy it because I know PLENTY of breast-fed children who get them all the time too. My oldest one had 6 double ear infections under the age of six months. I remember taking her outside in the cool Omaha air to get her to stop crying. I couldn't wait until she was 6 months old so I could give her Tylenol. I remember going into the pediatrician's office with a screaming child and I looked like I hadn't slept in days. Well, I really hadn't. I would give her Tylenol every 4 hours and alternate with Motrin every 6. We ended up at Children's at 6 months old to get her a set of tubes. Best decision we ever made. I was completely beside myself with worry when she went in. Now I know, its pretty routine, and it's "no big deal".

My second child was a little better, not having that many early in life although we had to deal with massive reflux issues. Her ear infections started around 8 months and we had tubes in at a year. This is why I want my third child to come OUT with tubes but unfortunately that doesn't happen. I'm sure we will go through this again. Middle Bean has had her tubes in for two years and about a month ago had one removed and replaced to hopefully stop the current ear infections. If this doesn't work, we need another set and I'm okay with that. These tonsils HAVE to come out though because she doesn't sleep well and sounds like Darth Vader. We just need to get through the next few weeks. Juggling a newborn baby and a two year old who just had throat surgery will be hard but definitely worth it.

I guess my whole point is being a new mom you never know what God is going throw at you. With my two oldest, it was ear infections. With my second it was severe reflux. She would projectile vomit her entire bottle across the room. Scream for hours... usually from 1-5, then 7-2am. We were on a few different medications but nothing really helped until one day finally when she turned 4 months old it miraculously stopped. If your baby has an issue, just know that you are not alone. I guarantee you that if you talk to your friends and neighbors, someone has been through what you are going through. I learn all of my tricks and tips from my friends, sisters and sometimes strangers.

After all, we are all in this together.

Happy Baby Thoughts
:)R

TODDLER TIPS - MY HOUDINI CHILD TRIES TO GET OUT OF THE CARSEAT

Does your toddler attempt to get out of their carseat??? My second child is a "wanna-be Houdini". When she was about 18 months - 2 she started to try and get out of her carseat. It was horrifying. I would look in the rear view mirror and she would have pulled the chest-bar on the carseat down and she actually yanked on it so hard that she was able to get both arms out of the chest strap. I swear I tightened it enough so she couldn't move the bar, but for some reason she always was able to pull the bar down. I told her and her older sister that the bar needs to be at armpit level and I always made sure that it was there before I started the car. Little bean learned how to unbuckle the bar. I was beside myself one time when I looked in the mirror and both arms were completely out of the car seat. I pulled over and told her not to go it again but she just laughed. I then cranked down on the car seat harness to make sure she was not doing it again. Of course, she got out again. I think I was driving home to my parents house one time and she did it on the highway. I freaked. Then I started to look online for solutions.

I came across something on a website called a "Houdini Band". It really is great. It is a piece of fabric with two buttons and you wrap it around the straps and hook the strap over the button and the child can literally NOT get out of the car seat straps. My little bean didn't mind it at first but when she realized what it was, she freaked out. She got so frustrated trying to get out of it, she gave up. Now (she is now 3), we don't have to use it anymore but I keep it in the car and if she tries, I just show it to her and ask if she wants it on or not, and the temptation to get out of the seat magically disappears!!! I have a HOUDINI NO MORE!! I owe it all to the Houdini Band.

Getting out of the house

I remember when I had my first child 5 years ago, it was a complete chore to get out of the house. When my mom left after being with me for the first week and a half of my little bean's life, I felt so helpless and not able to function. I was so tired. I have never been up that much in the night before in my life. In college I just never went to bed but going to sleep, waking up, going to sleep, waking up was a lot different. And I wasn't 19 anymore and there was no alcohol involved. Now, I was responsible for another little human being. I had to get her dressed, feed her, change her, make sure she didn't fall off things. The responsibility was a little overwhelming. My sisters who all are older than me and who already had a few kids by then told me, "Just try and take a shower every day and get dressed". Then they said, "Just try and get out of the house at least once a day". That is what I did. I just tried to get out of the house. I remember the first time I tried it on my own, I got her all dressed and bundled up for that cold November weather in Nebraska... got her in her car seat and she threw up everywhere and had a blow out diaper all at the same time. I started to cry. But I powered through, got out of the house and things got better. My daily trip was to the drive thru Starbucks down the street. I remember pulling up and not remembering why I was there or what I wanted to order. The lady at the window just kind of chuckled and gave me a free latte on the house. And I started to cry again. It's amazing what people will say to you when they know you have a new baby:

"Oh Honey.... you look so tired" - REALLY??? THANKS FOR POINTING THAT OUT. I DIDN'T NOTICE WHEN I LOOKED IN THE MIRROR THIS MORNING.

"Make sure to sleep when she sleeps" - REALLY???? I DIDN'T THINK OF THAT. USUALLY I JUST RUN AROUND THE HOUSE DOING JUMPING JACKS WHEN I GET THE KID TO FINALLY SETTLE DOWN.

"It will get better" - REALLY??? WHEN??? CAUSE IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT WILL

It does get better. The fog of new motherhood fades after a few weeks. Sometimes your baby doesn't sleep through the night (as my second one didn't sleep through the night until she was ONE), but you get used to getting up and going back to bed for a few minutes and getting up again. You discover that caffeine is your friend. You learn to really nap when the baby naps and you settle into a routine. You get her dressed and get into the carseat and into the car and you make it out the door. You get your Starbucks and you get on with your day. I used to take my little bean INTO Starbucks with me and enjoy a cup of coffee in an actual MUG and get a scone and sit there for an hour or so. You don't have to do much, but just get out of the house. I went out to lunch and dinner a lot with my running buddy since my husband was traveling for work a lot. We took the baby with us in the carrier. This kept my sanity. In addition, I offered to let her new puppy out everyday at lunch and feed her. This forced me to leave the house. I also committed to getting a shower and putting on some makeup (well tinted moisturizer) every day (seems like a simple task but for me with my first one it was always a chore). If I didn't do that I would literally stay in the same clothes for days on end and look like I got hit by a mack truck. That is when the crazy people at the grocery store stop and ask you if you need some help because you look like hell on wheels.

As for the second and third child, well things get a little tricky. The world does not stop when you have a baby. The oldest child still has to go to school, you still have to get all the kids up, dressed, fed and in the car by a certain time. I guess I'm not as tired with this child as I was with the first one. I also DAYDREAM about only having one child and how easy it would be to only have one child who was in the little infant carrier to take care of. Truth is, grass is always greener on the other side. The hardest time of day for me is the 5am-8am time period. It's the time when you just stopped feeding the third child when the first and second child start to wake up and need to get dressed, brush their teeth and hair and get out the door in one piece. THEN you still have to go back upstairs and get the baby dressed etc. But I'm assuming I'll get into a grove in a few weeks and I'll forget how frustrating I was at first. 

Bottom line is, don't get discouraged in the first couple weeks. It's not going to be easy but you will survive.  Just have one goal per day. One day it might be: Okay, today I'll get dressed. The next day: Today, I'll blow dry my hair. Tomorrow, I'm going to put on some makeup and go to the grocery store. Baby steps to getting your life back on track. All of a sudden it will all come together and you will be back before you know it!

Happy Baby Thoughts:)

R

What to bring to the hospital and what to leave at home

For my first baby, I think I packed my hospital bag at 30 weeks. I was super excited and couldn't wait for the little bean to get here. I packed everything I thought I needed and more. Slippers, ipod with calming music, a book, a robe, lotion... everything they tell you in that little class and I didn't listen to the things NOT to take. We ended up going into the hospital at 38.5 weeks with our first one. I remember telling my husband at around 6pm that I thought I was in labor. He came home from work and we went for a long walk. We "hung out" at home until around 11pm and I couldn't take it anymore so we called the doc on call. I didn't really want to have the baby that early but of course she said, "I think it's time. I know you don't want to hear this, but get to the hospital". I have been telling my husband for weeks to pack a bag... of course he didn't do it. I told him the doc said go to the hospital and he didn't actually REALIZE that we were not coming back without a baby. He had heard that sometimes you go into false labor and there was a chance we could come home. I told him.... um... I think this is for real so get your butt upstairs and pack of bag. He had to of course take a shower and get his bag all ready. We left and go to Methodist Hospital in Omaha at midnight. I remember eating two granola bars in the car on the way to the hospital because they tell you to make sure to eat because once you get there, they give you nothing to eat.. and just clear liquids.

When we got there, I was only 1cm but my contractions were close. We literally walked around the hospital for 3 hours to see if I progressed. Then I was at 2cm. Walked some more but I couldn't take it. I was really happy I packed my robe and my slippers because the gown they gave me was pretty thin. I put one open in the front and on top of that one open in the back so it actually closed. They broke my water at 6am.

What I DID NOT NEED, was my ipod. I don't know how some people are but the LAST thing I wanted to do was put on headphones and meditate to music. I didn't want to talk to anyone or listen to anything or read. There was NO READING going on. Husband watched ESPN and I just sat there waiting, trying not to freak out. I finally got some sleep. Pushed for THREE HOURS and baby was born at 1pm.

My other two births were a little different. I KNEW when I was going to have the baby so we had someone to watch the other child(ren). I left my good pjs, robe, books, ipod, lotions all at home. I brought a sweatshirt, sock slippers, a small makeup bag (the good thing about being induced is I actually got to shower that morning and put on a little makeup), shampoo, SHOWER FLIP FLOPS. Some of my friends suggested you can bring some of your own maxi pads because the ones they give you are like Depends Old Lady Maxi Pads. Giant. I actually liked them. The bigger the better I say. I didn't bring ANY good bottoms or clothes. Had to be gross but you may bleed all over them. I brought a comfy bra to put on after the birth. That really helped so I wasn't hanging out. Since I was not breastfeeding, I brought an Ace Bandage to bind my chest. Also brought some Miralax (no joke - had an issue with the first one so I thought I might need it asap before the on call doc could write my a script - ended up using it, Thank Goodness). Pony Tail holders are a must. Maybe some body spritz because you don't smell too fresh while you are in there. They say you can bring suckers to suck on during labor. Yeah whatever, the less things I had to deal with the better. I brought my laptop since they had WiFi. That was nice. I could upload pictures of the little one onto my hard drive. Cameras, cameras and more cameras. We brought them all with extra batteries. I brought the cords to connect to the computer. And my phone charger. And finally I made sure to wear my velour maternity jogging suit on the way to the hospital so I could wear it home. As for underwear, well, they give you some nice stretchy ones in the hospital so I knew I didn't need any extra pair. Again, don't bring anything you don't want to get ruined!!!!

As for the baby, I didn't bring a "take home outfit" right away because we didn't know if it was a boy or girl. My mom ended up bringing the right one once we knew. All washed and ready to go. Remember, baby will be small so probably Newborn size. And a hat.. no matter what the weather. Another thing that I really needed to bring was the Boppy Pillow for feeding the baby. Made it so much easier. And I knew it didn't have hospital germs on it (well at least when it got there it didn't)

Just remember, when in doubt, leave it at home. They have tons of stuff at the hospital for you including a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, slippers, really cute granny panties, pads and yummy hospital food. Well, maybe not. But your significant other can always run to the store. My husband ran out and got something for HIM to eat and picked us up a Redbox DVD to watch the night that our last baby was born. Came in handy watching something else besides ESPN.

Just some thoughts. Again, just my opinion!!

Happy Baby Thoughts:)
R

Mom4Life.com and the best investment so far

One of my favorite websites so far is Mom4Life.com. It has some really great products and they are all "mom-invented". A few great things about this website is that it has free shipping, awesome customer service and pretty good prices. Since I subscribe to their newsletter I get 10% off all orders. I do shop around but I love that I'm supporting a small business that has an owner who is very helpful in making product decisions etc.

My most recent purchase from them is a Belly Bandit Abdominal Compression Binder. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE. I was a little worried because they are $44. I did buy TWO of them because I read the reviews that as you wear them post partum to suck in your traumatized stomach... your stomach/uterus actually shrink and it only fits for a little bit before you need a smaller size. I decided to take the plunge. I bought a small and medium (after much discussion with Angela at Customer Service) because I didn't want to have to send it back and get a new one and wait... meanwhile my stomach would be not supported. I remember with my first two kids... it was very uncomfortable to sit and stand, climb up the stairs etc. I did not have a c-section but I hear it makes it a little easier with the incision.

AGAIN - I HIGHLY recommend this product and the place to get it is mom4life.com. Not only am I now (10 days post partum) moving up to the small from the medium band.... I feel like I should wear it for a year. Love Love Love this product. I'm going to give my medium to a friend who just had a c-section. So glad I got two.

According to the Mom4Life.com website - here is the info on the BellyBandit:

Not only does the Belly Bandit help reduce uncomfortable uterine swelling, it also aids in decreasing bloating caused by water retention, and gives additional support for Mommy’s weary legs and back. If you are breastfeeding, there’s a bonus… the Belly Bandit will help you with your posture during feedings, and may help to reduce the all too common back and shoulder pain associated with breastfeeding.

Ultimately, the Belly Bandit wrap will aid in getting you back to your pre-pregnancy hotness faster than ever!

Stretch marks – urgh! Although everybody knows what can cause them ie: stomach growth and the stretching of skin, we really have never thought about the post period and what may be another factor. The excess skin that is pulled and stretched after birth may continue to cause unsightly markings by “hanging around”. Greater support of this loose skin may actually decrease tension which in turn may decrease stretch marks in the post period.

• Helps Loose Inches Faster
• Doctor Recommended (check out our FAQ'S Tab for more info) 
• Helps Minimize Stretch Marks
• Reduces Discomfort
• Speeds up the Healing Process
• Improves Posture
• Reduces Pressure on Back and Legs
• Helps Minimize Swelling
• Restores Confidence
• Provides Support for Breast Feeding
• Adds Abdominal Support and Comfort After C-section
• Made in the USA
• Featured on Ellen & Rachel Ray

Bringing Home Baby

Well it's been 10 days since we had our third little girl. I have not had time to even shower every day let alone do any sort of blogging. Today is my first afternoon home alone with all three girls. The house has not burned down yet. I'm pretty sure there will be a lot of cartoons watched when I am home alone. Little One is upstairs in her crib and the other girls are down here watching Barbie. My mom went home today. Sad.

I have learned a lot in the past 10 days. Lot of juggling of the kids. Feeding the baby with one hand and hugging the other children with the other. The older ones need lots of attention or they will melt down. I'm sure it's a pretty difficult adjustment for them but they seem to be handling it well.

As for gear, clothes etc, I have a few things that I realized. My kids have way too much stuff. Too much gear and too many clothes. With the third girl, there isn't much that I needed with this one. I even ended up returning all the clothes I bought for this one because I realized we need nothing. Here are my thoughts when it comes to new stuff that I bought that I wanted to try out.

Fisher-Price Newborn Rock 'n Play Sleeper

Perhaps the best thing ever. We received this a new present and we love it. It's a little bit angled but the baby is so snuggled in there. We love it. A MUST for all new moms. No matter if its your first or third!!!!

Boppy Lounger

I can live without this. We bought this since we thought we would need another seat. Not really needed if you have bouncy seats, swings and regular Boppys. Save the money. We returned it.

aden + anais Cotton 4 Pack Muslin Swaddle Blanket

Love these. My little one loves to be swaddled. This was recommended to me from a friend. Love them. A little $$ but great!

Halo Sleepsack Swaddle

These are better than the previous Halo Sleepsacks that we received with our other kids. They have kind of like a cape that goes on the back of a regular sleep sack that can be velcroed together to swaddle the infant. If you are going to get some sleep sacks, these are great. We started off with the fleece ones since it's freezing here, but now I'm switching to cotton because I don't want her to get overheated and it's better for burping. Get some of these.. they are great. I don't swaddle her arms, she hates that. It depends on your child!!!

Jolly Jumper Sneak a Peek Infant Car Seat Cover

We have a JJ Cole Bundle Me (well a similar one from LLbean). We love it. Its more of a blanket that goes under and over the baby to keep her warm but it doesn't go all around the head. I wanted to get something that was not like a blanket... to keep her warm on all sides. We tried this. I like it! Fits nice with our Graco Snugride however it makes it more difficult to clip in the car seat but you just have to make sure it snaps right.

So that is what I have learned in the past 10 days. I'm just trying to survive with all three kids. I've only been alone for a few hours, so far so good. I have bills, paperwork etc pilled high on my desk and laundry all over the place. That is going to be the hard part... staying on top of that.

You forget how much work little babies are. We have been back to the doctor about 4 times for billrubin and weight checks. Don't have to go back until Little One's two week checkup, thank Goodness. Now... for me to just enjoy all three of my kids and try and stay afloat.... remember to take a shower every day and get one load of laundry done. That's my goal. 

Happy Baby Thoughts

R:)

Baby never shows up when you want them to......

Babies have minds of their own!!! Was supposed to be induced on Monday January 30th, but doc decided we had to deliver yesterday Jan 24th, 2012 due to some blood count issues. SO...... We welcomed our little baby girl at 5:34pm weighing 7 pounds 11 ounces. 20.5 inches long. Mom and baby are doing great!

Happy Baby Thoughts.
R

Pardon me Ma'am but your child is licking the grocery cart.....

I really don't like germs. I'm not a complete germaphobe but I used to think I was pretty close. I also hate feet. I hate getting pedicures because I think it's weird that someone would touch someone else's feet. Gross. I don't even like looking at feet. Just reminds me of germs.

When it comes to my kids, I have changed my stance over the last few years. I used to sanitize everything. Carrying around WetOnes, wiping the table, never letting them eat anything off the floor or a dirty table. My husband claims that germs will strengthen their immune system. Who knows. When going to the grocery store, I had a shopping cart cover. I didn't get the fancy Floppy Seat or Boppy Seat, I think we settled on the Eddie Bauer one from Target. Worked okay... didn't fit all shopping carts.. but it worked sort of how I needed it to work. I think we used it maybe 4 times. It was just more work to remember to bring it with you, hold the child with one hand, then put the seat on, put the kid in and go. I must say that the expensive ones do look pretty cool. If I had to do it again and if I know what I know now, I guess I would have passed on this product.

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day about the FLOPPY SEAT. She is a mom of three and said, "You know... I have one but we returned it. I never used it. Now when I see other moms in the store with little babies in the FLOPPY seat, I think "Good for you Mom, Good for you for using it because I just can't be bothered with it". That's kind of how I feel. It's probably a great product, but for me, its more trouble than its worth!!!

I shop at the grocery store usually after school drop off weekday mornings or Saturdays when I can sneak away. Our grocery store is always packed with older people who love making comments about my kids. I try NEVER to take my kids to grocery store but sometimes it's unavoidable. I have the kids who are trying to crawl out of the cart and asking for balloons. If I have BOTH of them with me, God help me because sometimes I want to cry because I don't think I'm going to get out of there alive. One time at Trader Joe's... my kids actually FLIPPED the cart. I told them to sit down, but they didn't listen and they actually flipped it. Talk about embarrassing. I used to love going grocery shopping with just one kid in the infant carrier. They would just sit there and I would give them a bottle. It was nice. They didn't move and didn't talk back and rarely did they cry because I planned out their bottles and feeding times in advance. Then they had to come out of the carrier which made it harder. I remember when I had only my second child with me and she literally was CHEWING on the handlebar of the cart. I had already wiped it down (like I still do) but a lady came up to me and said "Ma'am, do you realize your kid is chewing on the cart???"... I just stopped and said "Yep, I know. Thanks". She looked at me like I was insane. I wasn't insane, I was just a tired mom who wanted to get through the store without a meltdown. It really was either that or have her scream. I chose the lesser of two evils. I know there are tons of gross things on that bar, but really.... I have to pick my battles and this was definitely not going to be one of them.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, as time goes by and your kids get older you get a little more lackadaisical when it come to germs. You don't freak if they drop something and pick it back up. You don't hose them down with Lysol when they go play with other kids or go to the gym Kidcare. You realize that they will live. It's kind of like letting your kid jump on the furniture knowing full well that they are going to fall off. You know that something is going to happen but it's not going to hurt them that much. They just have to learn. It will be okay.

As for me, I'm going to skip the shopping cart cover this time, but if you have the patience and time and drive to use it, go ahead! I have a good friend who uses one because it has a shoulder harness on it and she needs that because her son actually wiggled out of the shopping cart belt and flipped out of the cart and landed on his head. Okay, that would probably get me to use it. My plan in life is just to never take my kids shopping at a grocery store again! I like it better that way.

Happy Baby Thoughts :)
R