Procrastination//New Schedule

I meant to sit down on write this the day after Thanksgiving. I didn't. I was still in a food coma from the day before and I had a lot of Gilmore Girls to watch. Saturday I spent all day shopping for the babies. Sunday is well, Sunday, so I rested. I had every intention of sitting down on Monday and writing a post but the day got away from me. Then Tuesday rolled around and JW decided that naptime was optional so I didn't have much time or energy to do anything but look after him. Now it is Wednesday and I finally getting around to writing my post. Procrastination at it's finest, right?
I am now officially a stay-at home mom. I had to move up the timeline that I talked about it my other post. An untenable situation was forming for JW. It was no longer reasonable or responsible to take him to work with me. It was hard to pull the trigger but I am glad I did. He is doing so much better and resting during the day (well, except this Tuesday, what can you do?). I feel better because I know that I am doing the right thing I and I am able to fully concentrate on taking care of him.
This new schedule still feels very foreign. I think it's because I haven't really settled on a real routine yet. I am trying to figure out how to best prioritize my time and get the most out of these days. I am enjoying being home, though. I have already tacked a lot of unfinished items that have been hanging around for seemed like forever. It's nice being able to channel all these nesting urges into home projects. I'm excited about this new chapter and I happy that I am at peace with it.
Until the next time that I get around to writing!

Two Surprises

This is turning in a season of change for a our little family. We found out that we are expecting twins! Needless to say, we are shocked and excited but mostly excited. This whole pregnancy was a big surprise but throwing multiples into the mix has made it extra crazy.
I am so thankful that I am past the first trimester. I can get pretty nauseated and drained during those first thirteen weeks. Around week 10 I start wondering if the nausea will ever end or if my motivation will ever come back. Pretty dramatic, I know, but I blame it on the hormones. Thankfully, it doesn't fail that around week fourteen the symptoms start to subside. I am so happy to be able to eat well again even if it means I am eating non-stop every waking hour. Being ravenously hungry is much better than being hungry but wanting to throw up at the same time.
The biggest change on the horizon, other than the expansion of our family, is that I will quitting my part time job. This is a pretty big deal for me and definitely will be the subject of a later post. As some one who loves working and loves learning, this is was a big decision but it wasn't hard to make. I know that my most ambitious self could not pull off working part time and taking care of 3 under 2 (yes, our other baby won't even be two years old when they are born. Pray for me.) I think it was God's way of taking the decision out of my hands. I am very at peace with it, but like I said, I will get further into the discussion at a later date. Right now, I am just enjoying the process and spending too much time on Pinterest looking at nursery inspiration.

Have a great weekend!

On My Airwaves

(The Chris Loves Julia Podcast)

(Young House Love Has A Podcast

(Think On These Things Ministries)

As a self proclaimed podcast-aholic, I thought it would fun to drop by and let you know what I have been listening to lately. 

The Chris Loves Julia Podcast

The Chris Loves Julia Podcast is the perfect mix of DIY/decor love and comedy. Chris, Julia and their host and friend, Preston, are hilarious. I have literally laughed out loud while listening to their show. They pack a ton of information into each show while still staying light hearted and fun. They talk candidly about the ups and downs of renovations and each episode has a cute piece of "homework" to encourage the listener to get out there and DO something. 

Young House Love Has A Podcast

I was so worried that this was some elaborate joke when I saw this. But it is totally for real! John and Sherry are back and dishing the out the DIY goodness. Their quirky humor lends itself perfectly to the audio medium. The funny games and interviews are great and it's just nice getting to hear them talk about their DIY life. This is a must listen if you were a fan of their blog or just love home decor. 

Think On These Things Ministries: Teach Them Diligently

While not strictly a podcast, I have really enjoyed listening to this teaching series. It is hard hitting and very informative. If you are parent who wants to know what the Bible says about child rearing, this is a great resource. It is not for the faint of heart. The series goes deep in controversial issues. Overall, it has been very informative. 

Enjoy the suggestions and have a great weekend!

Friday Wrap Up

(old photo via my instagram, would have been appropriate for #nationalcoffeeday)

Another week is wrapping up. It is October and so far it has been extremely WET here. Nothing like a lot of rain to usher in a new season. Work has been rather crazy but I am really glad to be back. I come home feeling tired but really accomplished. 

So after posting about being a slob it totally kicked my butt into high gear. I have been on a cleaning tear. I also realized, that I am more likely to keep a room clean if it is somewhat decorated. So that has motivated me to really get some more rooms fleshed out, especially our master bedroom. That is where junk goes to die. Getting it somewhat finished has shot right up to the top of the to-do list. 

Parenting wise this week went smoothly. The little guy is in a good routine and is getting very predictable. I am not looking forward to the crawling. He is so content to just play. I can get a lot done simply by moving him from room to room with me. Once the crawling starts, the battle will begin. It is another reason I need to get the house in tip top shape. 

Other things happening around here:

1. Listening to The Dave Ramsey Show: Money can be pretty taboo but it is something that is incredibly important. I love his brusk attitude. He just lays it out there. I am going to start reading The Total Money Makeover. Should be a good read.

2. Brainstorming Halloween costumes: It probably will not be anything elaborate, but I love group Halloween costumes. Last year, Lady Pup and I were a Mummy Pup and a Mommy Pumpkin. I was 12-13 weeks pregnant I think. 

I have started pinning some ideas. We shall what it ends up being.

3. Autumn activities: Now that it is October, I feel like I can dive into some Autumn activities. Number one on the list is getting some pumpkins and breaking out my Fall decor. I cannot wait!

Hope everyone has a great weekend! 

Friday Wrap/Round Up

(found via pinterest, southern curls & pearls)

While fall has officially arrived on the calendar, it is still pretty warm around here. September is such a weird month in Georgia. I am ready for sweaters and boots! However, in the spirit of weather appropriate dressing, I will not pack away all my shorts and sandals quite yet. 

Here are some things that have been on my mind lately:

1. Fourth Quarter Goals: I like setting goals for myself but sometimes I am too vague with the timeline in which these goals should be accomplished. I am going to try out a quarter system for my more immediate goals. The fourth quarter starts next week. Here is what I want to accomplish before the end of December.

• Completely read one book: It may seem like a small task but I have not made reading a priority lately. It is hard to sit down and read when I know there is 15 other things I could/should be doing in. I need to read more, though, for my sanity and for the mental exercise. The book that I going to try to read is Shepherding a Child's Heart. It is a parenting book my mom left for me. It should be very interesting. 
• Paint hallway and guest room: If I can get these two areas painted, I will have successfully painted half of the house. This would be a HUGE improvement. 
• Finish baby room: The baby room is painted and the floors have been replaced, but it is a mess. There is not a lot of organization and there is no decor. I really want to get his room done before the end of the year so I can actually enjoy it. No more ugly rooms! That's my new motto. 

2. Baby outfits: I am loving putting together little outfits for my little guy. I did not think I would get that into it actually, especially since boy clothes do not have a lot of variety. Surprisingly, I really enjoy picking out his clothes everyday. I get to do it a lot because he is very messy and gross baby so he gets a lot of outfit changes. 

3. Bangs: Yep, I am taking the plunge and getting bangs again. This comes at the request of Scott but I am pretty excited about it too. Should be an interesting change. I have been pinning a lot inspiration. We will see how they turn out. 

Well, those are few things that are oing on around the house. I hope everyone has a great weekend! 

P.S. I can't decide on the name for this post. Wrap up or round up? Hmmm.... what do you think??

Why You No Sleep?

This a phrase I have asked my baby many, many times. The age old parenting dilemma: getting your child into a regular sleep pattern. Experiencing sleep deprivation was my biggest fear all through out my pregnancy. It may seem trivial, but I LOVE sleep. I went to bed every night at 10:30 pm or 11:00 pm...in college. I have never pulled an all-nighter. I try for a regular 8-9 hours every single night. To say sleep is important to me is a extreme understatement. I hate how I feel and act when I go without asleep. I am sluggish, grouchy, and I can be snappy and rude. So getting this little guy on somewhat of a regular routine was high on my priority list from the get go.
Thankfully, God in His great mercy has been especially kind. I honestly think He is the one who fueled me during those 3 am feedings. He has also blessed us with a pretty easy-going baby. I cannot take credit for any of this little guy's disposition.
All that said, I really do believe that creating a pretty regular pattern has been beneficial for both myself and baby. I am not an expert in this by any stretch of the imagination. This is my first baby, so I am just working with the knowledge I have gleaned from the Internet and my mom and mother in-law. This is what has worked for us and I hope that if you are a mom reading this, it can help you as well.

1. Be calm.
Babies can feel your stress. You can feel your stress. When you feel that that stress bubbling up inside, like a geyser getting ready to explode, stop. Take some deep breaths, say a prayer, lay it at the feet of Jesus, and take it one step at a time. One way that helps me not to get too overwhelmed is to approach the sleep situation like an experiment. If my hypothesis A fell through, where did it go wrong? What should I change for next time? What is the new hypothesis for getting the best sleep?That may seems harsh or clinical, but it allows me to not let my emotions run over me. I have to be ok with getting it wrong, because in reality, I am going to get it wrong a lot. I can only do my best.

2. Be quick to ask advice.
When I was trying to figure out how to get baby to sleep in those first days, the first person I turned to was my mom. Not the Internet, not books, not an app but my mom. She has 5 kids and we all are fairly well-adjusted human beings, so her credentials seem pretty solid. If you do not have a mature, experienced person in your life, find one. Life is too hard to go at it alone. That is coming from someone who is fiercely independent and proud to a fault. Ask for help. Many new moms crater because they shut themselves off in those first days. You are experiencing crazy hormonal imbalances and probably some exhaustion. Talk to someone you trust. You do not have to do this alone.

3. Be ok with crying.
Sadly, babies cry. They cry a lot. Do not let it get to you. You are not a bad mom if your baby cries. The poor little things are being flooded with stimuli. This world is hard for them. They are going to cry, especially when you are trying to get them to sleep. I bawled when we put our little guy in his crib. He screamed and screamed but I knew he was exhausted and needed to sleep. He had barely slept that second night in the hospital. I knew that he needed to sleep and I knew that it would be best for him to sleep in his crib. I laid on the couch and cried while he cried. It worked though. He fell asleep and has been sleeping in his crib ever since.

4. Be diligent to the routine that you establish
This is especially hard for me. I crave routine and structure but I have a hard time telling people no. When it comes to getting your baby on a sleep routine, you are going to have to say no to people. Nap times and bed times are not going to magically coincide with other peoples' schedules. Especially as the baby gets older and more manageable, it seem like the schedule is not as important. It still is incredibly vital. The key getting baby into a solid schedule is to establish fixed points the day. Right now, I am trying to establish a set wake time and bed time for our 3 month old. The goal is not only to give baby a fixed point a reference, but to help you better schedule your day.

5. Be ready for change.
The most frustrating part of this sleep scheduling journey has been the regression. Our little guy has been sleeping for 9-10 hour stretches for several weeks now but all of a sudden, he wants to wake up at 5 am. I do not want to wake up at 5 am. There is nothing I want less in the world. It is incredibly frustrating. I know that with time and patience, we will get through this spell but it is hard to look at it that way when I am are stumbling blindly through the house to try to console the baby back to sleep. It is best to be prepared for the inevitable hiccup. It keeps me from getting complacent. It also stresses the point about remaining diligent to the routine. Keep working at it till something works.

Ok, now that I am done ranting (did it seem like I was ranting, I don't mean to come across that way), what do you think?

I want to stress again that I am not an expert. I know that different people will have different views. This is simply my take on the situation and a few things that I have learned so far. If anyone has any great insights, I would love to hear them! 

Baby Gear: 0-3 Months

I wanted to do a quick round up of the baby items that we use the most. When I was registering, I knew I wanted to take a more minimalist approach. These are the items that I get used most frequently or have been the most useful.

1. Wubbanub pacifier: This is the most beloved pacifier. It was a gift from a family friend and it is awesome. The little guy loves to play with it and hold it as he sucks away. He started off taking a Mam pacifier and now he only wants Jimmy the Frog (yes, we named the pacifier).

2. Marpac Dohm-NSF: The Official Sound Conditioner: At first, I was hesitant about using a white noise machine. I did not want him to become dependent on one to sleep. My pediatrician recommended using one and now I would not think of not having it. His room is just off of our living room and noise travels very easily. This machine allows us to watch TV, talk, clean etc. without any fear of him being startled awake by a loud noise. It also is works well for traveling. We had him in our room when we traveled to Texas and Disney World. The white noise worked great to drown out any extra noise and help him sleep in unfamiliar places.

3. Gripe Water: BEST. STUFF. EVER. The poor, little guy gets hiccups a lot. This stuff knocks them out quick.

4. Aden and Anais Swaddle Blankets: These are wonderful. They are so soft and thin but very warm. He is a little too squirmy now to stay swaddled in them but they work well as just regular blankets too.

5. Assorted Swaddle Gear: I have a couple of different styles and brands of swaddles. There are two different kinds shown above. My favorite of the two is the white Halo SleepSack Two-in-One. The green Summer SwaddleMe is ok and I use it, but it is definitely not my favorite. The main thing is it is worth registering for a couple of different kinds of these swaddles so you can figure out which one you and your baby like best.

6. The Wrap by Solly Baby: If you want to get into baby wearing, check this out. It is comfortable, cute and very easy to use. I have two and I love them. They are wonderful for consoling a cranky baby as well as just a great way to have your hands free.

7. AngelCare Monitor : This is something that I initially was very hesitant about. It is a big ticket item. Now that I have used it, I am extremely thankful to have it. The AngelCare monitor detects the baby's breathing. If the baby stops breathing, it blasts a quick loud sound to try and startle him. If that does not work and the monitor is still unable to detect any movement, it sounds an alarm to alert you. We put our little guy in his crib from day one and this allowed me to have a greater peace of mind about it.

So those are the things I use the most. Hopefully, the information will prove helpful to some future and current moms out there.

What is your go-to baby item? Are your a minimalist of a maximalist when it comes to baby stuff?

Happy Friday!

The weekend is almost here and it feels so good. We are still recovering from this horrible cold here. I am pretty much over it but my husband is really struggling. We have been diffusing like crazy. The house smells like spa but looks a little like a dump. I have not had much energy to clean. Hopefully, with my strength returning, I will get on that.
I would like these Friday posts to serve as a week in review/what I am into lately/parenting ups and downs mash up. A post that brings a bunch of not quite big enough posts together. We will see how it goes.

LOVING: I am currently head over heels in love with Happy Mail from A Beautiful Mess. Run, don't walk to sign up. I am a little late to the game. I am avid reader of Elsie's and Emma's blog and I do not know why I did not do this sooner. I have sent so many cards already and this is only my second month! I love it.

WATCHING: Um, everything. No, not really but kind of, but mostly Seinfield. We do not have cable so we watch everything on Netflix or Hulu. Now that all of Seinfield is now on Hulu I am pretty much set for life.

(via pinterest)

PARENTING: This week was a little on the rough side. After our return from Disney, the little guy was resisting taking naps at home. He would sleep at my mother in-law's house but not in his own bed. Weirdly, this only applied to daytime naps. He was still sleeping for 8-10 hours through the night in his crib. I was perplexed. At first, I catered too him because I was sick and could not devote my full effort to solving the problem. Once I started getting better, though, I attacked it with full force. It was a little rough but he is thankfully back to taking daytime naps in his own crib. Some are better and longer than others but I am thankful that we are finding our rhythm again.
I have started trying to encourage some "self directed play." Not that a 2 month old can do much but I am trying to not let him become too dependent on me or anyone else for entertainment. My sisters LOVE to be right in his face playing with him so he gets a lot of that during the week, while they here. While we are at home, I try to let him play by himself with me working on different tasks close by. It seems to be working. He cannot go for a long time on his own but I am hoping that even just doing it a little will be helpful for developing a strong imagination and contentment. We shall see...

On that note, I will leave you with this little piece of happiness.

Traveling With A Baby

Pre-Disney packing with the little guy

While I have traveled quite a bit in my life, this is the first time that I have traveled with a small child that I was responsible for. Let me tell you, it is nerve-wracking! Our trip to Walt Disney World was the second long distance road trip that we have done this summer with our little bundle of joy. The first was a 12 hour drive out to Texas to visit my grandparents. Here are a few things that I learned from both experiences.

1. When in doubt, overpack

We had the luxury of packing our Suburban to the brim both times with baby gear. Usually, I abhor overpacking. I do not like taking a bunch of stuff that I end up not using. With a 2 month-old baby, you never know what you might need. I packed multiple extra outfits, tons of extra burp cloths, and three separate carrying devices (Solly Baby wrap, Ergobaby 360 carrier, and our BabyJogger City Select stroller).

The truth is that babies do not always behave the way you expect them to. Just because he is happy and relaxed today does not mean he will be that way tomorrow. So when you are not in your normal environment, it pays to have all the options available to you. Obviously, if you are flying then there is a limit to how much you can bring. I have yet to fly with him but I will definitely do a flying with baby post when that time comes. 

2. A little extra preparation on the front end equals more relaxation on the back end

Take the time to organize that extra bit. Set up a diaper changing station in the car or maybe pack outfits or similar articles of clothing in plastic resealable bags. I personally like to "setup up shop" when I get to the hotel room. By putting everything in it's own spot and organizing the room a little makes me feel less as I am going through my day. It also helps when it is time to pack up and go home. This trip, I really took advantage of the closet space in our hotel. I used the closets as a place to corral all the dirty laundry. When it was time to pack up, I simply had to open the closet and put all the things on the floor in the suitcase. Keeping all the clothes in one place kept the room from getting too dirty and sped up the packing process. 

3. Set yourself up for success

Make naps and feeding a priority. Do not let the expectations of others dictate your baby's schedule. This is hard for me because I am a people pleaser to the core. I had to come to terms with the fact that trying to fit my baby's schedule into someone else's plans was not going to turn out well for anyone. He was fussy or irritable because his napping and feeding pattern was disrupted by visits when we in Texas. At Disney, I was in charge of much of the planning so I worked to schedule our daily activities around his routine. There were still times, however, that I had to leave the fun to take care of him. You cannot have FOMO  as a parent. There will be many times that what is best for your baby is not what is the most fun for you. The payoff comes when you have a happy, content baby for longer periods of time. By missing out on a little here and there, you will have a overall more enjoyable travel experience.  

4. Be ok with winging it

There will be times that your best planning with fall through. There will not be a good place to nurse. You will forget your pack-n-play in the car after it has been valet parked and you can't get it (yes, I had to create a little bed on the floor for my 8 week-old baby. That same evening, I forgot to get extra diapers. #parentingfail) There is a strength to being able to roll with the punches. The first evening we were at Disney we had dinner reservations for a dinner-musical event. Little baby was screaming before we even got seated. I had a feeling he was hungry. I did not want to leave or make Scott leave but I knew that shoving the paci in the little guy's mouth was only going to work for so long. Thankfully, we were seated in the very back and the lights were fairly dim. I whipped out that nursing cover and tried my hand at my first public feeding session. It was difficult. I did not get to eat right away even though I was famished but the little guy was quieted. What had the makings of a disaster ended up being a pretty pleasant evening. Plus, I gained a whole lot of confidence from solving the problem.

5. Ask for help
This one is probably the hardest for me to come to terms with. I would consider myself and incredibly independent person. I have always enjoyed doing it myself. Well, this Disney trip would not have been possible if I had to do it on my own. Not only was my husband incredibly supportive and helpful, but my mother in-law went above and beyond to help out with the little guy. She would wait for us while we rode rides and took him back to the hotel early so we could move faster through the parks. She was basically super grandma. All of the planning in the world could not have made a difference without her help. I just had to be ok with asking for it.

The main thing is to do what you think is right for your family. If you do not know what to do, seek wise counsel. There are tons of men and women who are older and wiser out there. If you do not have someone who is an older parent, who you respect, then find someone. Even if it is to just bounce ideas off of, it will be very helpful. While there a few guiding principles that apply across the board, how they play out in each family is very different. Do what you think is best and if that does not work try something else. The goal is not being perfect from the beginning. Rather it is to find out what works for you and your baby. Keep that in mind when you are making travel plans and I am sure things will go more smoothly.