H-E-B Baby Diapers

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of H-E-B Baby Diapers.

Some women do not like grocery shopping. I am not one of those women. I look forward to it. Maybe that's because I get to shop at HEB. Y'all know I'm an East Coast girl so I'm use to having lots of different grocery stores to choose from. When we first arrived in Texas I was a little taken aback that there is only one main grocery store franchise.  The lack of choices doesn't bother me one bit because HEB is everything. When I mean to tell you I get excited to go grocery shopping I'm not lying! Everything from their seafood to their wine selection is amazing. Their baked goods and assortment of fresh produce and cheeses is to die for. My new love affair with them has gotten so real…. Especially when I discovered their diapers. HEB Baby Diapers are my son's bottom's new BFF. I love them because the quality is great. The fit is really great and the diapers are super soft. They have a 12 hour leakage protection which helps out a lot when BabyM has long stretches of sleep. 

BabyM and I are so in love. I love it when I find a baby product that gives me bang for my buck. While shopping the other day (because I'm in HEB like two times a week LOL) we were picking up diapers and I noticed a familiar face on one of the boxes. Sav's friend is on the top box in the pic below?! Isn't she a cutie?! I texted her Mom right away with excitement when I saw her "box". 

Just another reason to love these diapers and HEB….

Are you in love with grocery shopping as much as I am? Have you tried HEB Baby Diapers? Let me know your thoughts in comments! This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of H-E-B Baby Diapers.

The Human Pacifier

Last night it occurred to me that I have become a human pacifier. Not all day though. Just from two AM until about five in the morning. Can you hear the sarcasm in my voice? I don't know when it happened or how it happened but lately sleep around here has been hard to get. Following in his sister's footsteps, I am now in another sleepless stage. Not complaining. Just catching you up on where I'm at with BabyM.

I would like to attribute his night waking to his teeth. He's teething now and that could be causing him some discomfort. Sometimes I think that he could be looking for me during that time. More often than I would like to admit I fall asleep while nursing him during those hours. It's possible that he's grown accustom to being with me so he wakes up to call for me.

Either way.

It's time to actually sleep train before it get's worse. I haven't really had to sleep train him up till this point so I hope it goes okay. I can't keep going night after night without adequate rest. He needs his sleep too. Savannah didn't stop night waking until I stopped breastfeeding. I wonder if that will be the case this time?

He's not really waking up a lot but he's incredibly restless and in a wakeful sleep state from two to five. Every night. I've got to figure out something soon. I gave up Dr.Pepper so I don't even have caffeine to help push me through the day. What's a Mom to do? Anyone else go through this? How long did it take you to get your baby back on a good sleeping schedule?

Happy New Year! Time For A Giveaway!

Happy New Year!! 2014 is here! I figured I'd celebrate by offering you all a giveaway. I recently received this digital Braun Forehead Thermometer as part of a social media campaign for Influenster. I loved it. It came right on time because as some of you might remember Savannah got really sick recently. 

I was checking her temp every 30-45 minutes. This thermometer was so accurate and easy to use. It was such a blessing to have it and know that I could trust the readings.

 Here was one of Savannah's reading from when she was sick. Very high. I love that the thermometer has a color code. It's green for the safe zone, yellow for a mild temp and red for a kid down situation. (or woman or man down should you find yourself ill)

There is a $10 rebate offer available through the website so if you don't win the giveaway check that out. 

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Baby M Update: 4 Months

I feel like I just had Baby M like two seconds ago but he's already four months old. This morning we had his four month check up and shots. Things have been going pretty well. He's such a sweet baby. Steals my heart. I can see so much of my husband when I look at him. Sometimes it's frightening.

Baby M smiles, laughs and coos. My favorite thing to do is talk to him. He responds with all his coos and it's the best. He's a pretty good sleeper right now. In the morning he takes a nap for about an hour. Around lunch time he goes down for another two to three hours. At night he goes down at eight sharp (right after his sister) and sleeps until about three before waking up for a feeding. Not too bad, right?

I'm breastfeeding and I pretty much feed him on demand. I started Savannah on cereal and veggies when she was four months old. I plan to start him on solids by the end of the month. I ordered some more freezer trays with lids and they should be here by the end of the week. I'll share more about my baby food making process in another post. We'll more than likely start with peas or green beans. He's ready for food. He's started sitting on his own a little. He stares at us with pure jealousy when we eat and after nursing for a while he still wants more. I've started doing actual feedings and "snacks" via nursing. Cluster feedings I guess. It's time for him to have a little more of something else at least once a day. I'll still continue to breastfeed until he's at least twelve months.

During his appointment his Doctor was very impressed with his strength and how well he moves. She told me that it was time for him to start working out in an exersaucer or standing activity center. I'll be picking up one today. I plan to sell some of the baby gear we have here to a resale store. I can not believe we are already getting rid of baby things! 

I'm feeling so blessed and thankful that our little guy is hitting all of his milestones. When he was born early I was very nervous about how his development would possibly be delayed. Thank God for miracles big and small. Baby M is right where a four month old should be. I guess that means he'll be crawling and getting into everything very soon. Can't wait!

Baby M's Many Faces...

One day I was taking pics of all of Baby M's expressions. I thought it would be fun to make a little something with them. So funny! 

Love all his little faces, haha!!!

Giveaway: The Juppy Baby Walker

We haven't done a giveaway around here in a while. Since I just had a baby I've been looking at all the new baby products that are out now. Of course there are tons. When I came across the opportunity to check out the Juppy baby walker I couldn't pass it up. 

It's so cool. When I was teaching Savannah how to walk I remember it being a very fun but crazy time. She was wiggling all over the place and there I was trying to help her. My back would be all hunched over and she'd be doing her best to show me her new moves. A product like the Juppy would have come in so handy for me then. Luckily, I'll have one when Baby M starts learning to walk.

There are so many things to love about the Juppy. I personally love the fact that you can take it with you because it fits into a pouch small enough to go in your purse. This means that when I take Savannah to play dates or the park I can use the Juppy with Baby M. Perfect!

From the Juppy Baby Walker site:

What is The Juppy Baby Walker "Momentum"?

"The Juppy "Momentum" is a solution to a previously recognized but unsolved challenge for parents of babies beginning to walk. Babies strong enough to  begin walking but not strong enough to walk alone. The Juppy builds confidence in your baby and teaches balance while you maintain your  natural posture, eliminating the grueling task of hunching over while teaching your baby to walk. "

Enter now for your chance to win! Good Luck!

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How to get through the next day after a Sleepless Night...

I can barely keep my eyes open to type this post. That's how sleepy I am. You know how it is with a newborn. They sleep all day and you get minimum sleep at night. This is the part you forget about when you see that positive pregnancy test.

So far this week I think I have gotten maybe a combined total of ten hours of sleep. Yep. You read that right. I think I've slept for about three hours a night this week. Not complaining, just stating the facts. Baby M wakes up every few hours to be fed and changed. That's to be expected. What I didn't expect is for Savannah to start waking up during the night. You remember all the hard work I did to get her to sleep all night after we moved to Texas? Well. This week has been a recurring nightmare of those days.

I think she's a light sleeper like me so she wakes up if she hears the baby crying too loudly. Not only does she wake up but she gets out of bed and comes to check on him. Sweet, right? It wouldn't be if you were me. Last night they were both up for a while and I had this feeling of defeat. They were beating me at my own game. No worries though. I have a game plan that will put an end to all of this night waking. More on that later...

I have been amazed at how easy it's been to still get through the days while I'm past tired. Here are some tips that I've found very useful. Thank you for everyone that made a suggestion via our Facebook page....

~ Stay Busy

As crazy as it sounds staying busy when you're exhausted helps the time fly by. You won't feel as sleepy if your occupied by another task. This is my go-to method for getting through the tired days after a sleepless night. I clean, cook or take the kids out. It helps keep that sluggish feeling at bay until you can actually sleep.

~ Drink lots of water

This may not be true for everyone but drinking ice cold water throughout the day keeps me alert. I have been doing pretty well staying off of caffeine. Caffeine tends to make me feel less energized, or maybe it's the crash from the sugar in a soda. At any rate drinking water has done wonders for my energy level.

~ Sleep while the baby is sleeping

Everyone has heard this. Unfortunately, I've never been a good napper. Napping actually has the opposite effect on me. If you are a person that does well with naps try sleeping when your baby does. Since Sav doesn't take naps anymore I can't sleep during the day, but if you're able to do it GO FOR IT!

~ Don't feel pressured by your checklist

If you're like me you feel the need to get things done during the day. When you're super tired throw that list in the garbage. Take your time getting things done. Ease into your day. Don't rush it. If you can get a load of laundry done, great! If you can't, don't sweat it. Try to keep your day as calm and carefree as possible. Staying in a relaxed state will keep you from exerting more energy. I take the pressure of cooking dinner off of my plate when I'm really tired and it helps me.

~Rest when you can

Try doing some stationary activities with your kids. Read books, color, paint or work on some fine motor skills if they're old enough. If you have a child that will watch a movie throw one on. Even if you can't sleep just sitting and resting does wonders.

I use all of these during the day to help me stay mentally sane after a sleepless night. It's not easy but you can do it. As soon as both kids are asleep at night I go to bed too. A couple hours of sleep is better than no sleep at all.

What are some of your tips for getting through the day after a sleepless night?

Baby Update: Four Weeks Old

Time is flying. I have always said if you want to pass time quickly have a baby. I can not believe my son will be four weeks old tomorrow. Whoa. I thought it would be nice to share how we're doing. I think I am adjusting like any other woman with a newborn. I'm tired and still riding on what little adrenaline I have left. Things have been going pretty smooth for the most part and I am very thankful for that.

Our sleep pattern has been pretty normal. He wakes up about every three hours to eat and be changed. He normally goes right back to sleep after being nursed. We have been doing a mix of co-sleeping and putting him in his crib. It just depends on how tired I am. Please spare me any lectures on co-sleeping. I am not interested in them. Baby M will eventually sleep in his crib every night. When he starts having longer stretches of sleep he'll make a permanent move to his room. He sleeps in his bed during the day for naps so I'm not too concerned about the move. I didn't co-sleep with Savannah but then again I wasn't as tired then as I am now.

Breastfeeding is still going well. Between nursing and pumping I'm a little milk machine. Love that. We've been able to go on a couple play dates and are slowly getting back into the swing of things. I am hoping to get better about taking both of them out by myself. I never knew how much goes in to taking two small children out for errands or an activity. It's been a learning experience. And I am still learning.

I'm going to start working exercise back in to my routine this weekend. I'll keep you posted on how that  goes. I don't own a scale so I'm not sure where I am in terms of weight since giving birth. I'm looking forward to getting in incredible shape. My plan was to be in amazing shape before my thirtieth birthday in February and I plan to accomplish that goal. Watch me work. We'll be talking a lot about fitness in the coming months. 

What was your first month like after baby? Is it all a big blur?

Baby Boy's Birth Story Part III

I feel like it's been forever since I've done a new post. It's been a very busy couple weeks. If you've had a baby you know what I'm talking about. Between the not sleeping, breastfeeding, pumping and trying to find a new rhythm it's been crazy. Luckily, my Mom was able to come spend a couple weeks with us and my husband was on paternity leave so it wasn't too bad. I'm hoping to get back to posting regularly in the coming week. 

Our first couple weeks have been pretty great. Baby M is such a good baby. Like most newborns all he does is eat and sleep. We've been able to go on several family outings which has kept Savannah's life very normal. Baby M's newborn and two week check up both went very well. He's gained weight and is growing so fast. He looks so different now. It's amazing how fast they change and grow.

I know I mentioned on the blog before that I was a little nervous about breastfeeding this time around. My milk supply with Sav was never enough to feed and pump to build a stash for the freezer. This time around I have more than enough milk. I could probably feed my baby and a few others. My husband jokes that we should stop buying milk and the whole family should switch to breast milk to save a few bucks. He's funny. I don't know if I'd actually do that but at least Baby M has plenty of milk ready when he needs it. I'm just so happy that I'm having a better experience with my supply this time around. Praise God from whom all breast milk flows!

Sleeping has been a little tough. Due to all the cuddling he got while everyone was here I believe he's already figured out that he doesn't want to sleep in his own bed. Y'all already know how I feel about the sleeping situation. I will start sleep training as soon as my husband permanently goes back to work. I'm not too concerned about training him since he's still so new to the world. 

I haven't done an outing by myself with both kids yet but I'll be sure to let you all know how that works out for me. I'm sure it will be entertaining if nothing else. I haven't started doing any serious exercising yet. I'm waiting until I've been officially cleared by the doctor. My appointment is in August. Until then I plan to go for walks when I can and stay as active as possible. It's so important to keep moving after a C-Section. I hope everyone is enjoying their Independence Day! 

Baby Boy's Birth Story Part II

After spending two hours in recovery my nurse took us to our room where we'd spend the rest of our time at the hospital. I hate that I didn't take any pics of how nice the room was. I was very impressed. There was plenty of space and my room had an amazing view. 

As you know when you're in the hospital you get very little rest. Nurses and Doctors come in to check on you and the baby the entire time. When Baby M was born his initial blood sugar was low. They checked him after every feeding for three consecutive feedings. His blood sugar was normal after every check and we were able to get some good sleep in the wee hours of Friday night. 

After a c-section it is very important to get up and walk as much as possible. Once the feeling returned in my legs I walked a little in my room. I felt perfectly fine until I sat back down in bed. I got the worst motion sickness from my little stroll. I started throwing up which hurts like crap right after you've been cut open. I had had enough walking after that and decided to try again after some sleep. The downside to my motion sickness was being put on a light diet until I could walk without getting sick. 

Saturday was probably the most important day of our time at the hospital. After a c-section the hospital staff wants to make sure that your body is returning to normal. You will be asked to pee in a white measuring cup looking thing. When I had Savannah they actually measured my urine. This time they just wanted to make sure I could go. It wasn't easy. I know I shouldn't compare pregnancies or recoveries because no two are alike but I was able to pee and poop right after having Sav. This time was completely different. 

After lots and lots of trying I was finally able to pee. Once your catheter is removed they like for you to pee within a certain amount of time. I was able to finally go with ten minutes left running on my clock. If you're not able to go within your time slot they put the catheter back in. Yikes. There was no parts of me that wanted to go through that without being numb. I was very happy that I was able to go.

I hate to keep bringing up poop on this blog but it is a part of life and a big part of recovery. Pooping after a c-section is not the most fun you'll have. It will hurt. I was a stickler about taking my stool softeners so it wasn't so bad, but I still felt lots of soreness at my incision. It took me a full week after delivery to finally poop. Not the best week of my life but if you follow this blog then you know this is one of my better poop stories. 

Okay. Back to the baby. He took right to breastfeeding. The lactation consultant said that babies born early normally start out as strong feeders. She said that they may begin to have some difficulties after a few weeks. This made me nervous. Since he was doing so well there was little advice she could offer me. I think she was surprised at how well he was doing. I wasn't. Breastfeeding is all about a positive attitude. I didn't want to allow the statistics to get me all worried.

Since everything was going so well. We were discharged from the hospital at exactly forty eight hours after my delivery. Everyone was so nice. Good nurses are everything. I hate that I didn't have my nurses gifts ready for them. I was pretty bummed about that. I had a great experience at the military hospital where I delivered. I wouldn't change anything about it. The food was actually good and my husband and I watched the Food Network the entire time we were there. I was happy to get home to Savannah. She has been an incredible big sister. (she LOVED her big sister backpack)

Part three to his birth story will be about our first week at home, breastfeeding and what my recovery has been like without all the help at the hospital. I hope you all have been enjoying hearing about our new addition.

Baby Boy's Birth Story Part I

Now that I've had a week to let everything sink in I thought today would be a great day to share baby M's birth story. On June 14 I went in to the hospital for one of my Non Stress Test. After my testing time was up I was given a BPP (bio physical profile) which was completely normal for me. A BPP is an ultrasound where the tech or doctor looks for different movements, breathing activity and measures  your fluid. Since I had gotten lots of these done during my pregnancy I was just going through the motions like I always do. 

Savannah and I were discussing what we were going to eat for lunch after I was done at the hospital. She had decided that she wanted Chick Fil-A. It wasn't until my actual Doctor came in the room that things started to concern me a little. She rarely ever comes in to speak to me after I've had a BPP. I figured since we were so close to my c-section date that maybe she was going to tell me I could skip testing next week. I was wrong. 

My Doctor was coming in to tell me that my fluid was extremely low. I had just had my fluid checked on that Tuesday (three days before) and everything was perfect. Apparently your fluid can leak and you  wouldn't necessarily know. I had no idea. And of course since I was already high risk with a septum in my uterus and a sensitive area from a previous ectopic pregnancy the only safe choice for the baby was to deliver him early. I was bummed and terrified. My Doctor told me that once your fluid leaks that it could do damage to your umbilical cord and could bring about a host of other problems. 

It was about two o' clock in the afternoon when I called my husband at work to give him the news. I'm pretty sure he flew to the hospital because he got there so fast. He took Sav to lunch and home to pack an overnight bag for her. My family wasn't scheduled to be in town until baby M's original birth date. We had to find someone to watch Savannah for the night. Luckily, all of my early planning paid off and everything for my husband and I was ready to go.

The hospital thought it would be a good idea to have someone from the NICU come in to speak with me because I was delivering early. Babies born at about thirty five weeks normally spend some time in the NICU. The Doctor said that breathing for these babies can be tough. This scared the crap out of me. I did NOT want him to go to the NICU. Then again, I didn't want him being born early. It was all happening very fast. It was very overwhelming. 

As soon as my husband got back to the hospital he scrubbed up. We went back into the operating room a little after four o' clock. The anesthesiologist did my spinal block/epidural. The room was freezing. My blood pressure kept rising and I was offered something to help with the anxiety. I passed on that offering. After everything was numb and I was in position the entire OR staff entered the room along with my husband. 

It is a very weird experience being cut open while still being awake. You can feel them pulling and tugging. There's lots of pressure on your chest and abdomen. During my c-section with Savannah the Doctors told me what was going on step by step. The set of Doctors I had this go around decided to discuss current events. I was cool with that. My husband was holding my hand and talking to me the whole time. At exactly five o' five I gave birth to a handsome little boy that looks just like his Dad.  C-sections are quick. If there are no complications you get in and out of there in no time.

Baby M's cry was so strong. After a few minutes the NICU Doctor came over to me and said, "We're sending your baby to your room. His breathing is strong. He's perfect." Music to my ears. Isn't God incredible? I may not have a normal size uterus. I may only have one fallopian tube. I may have had a previous ectopic pregnancy. Despite all of those things I have still been able to bring two very healthy babies in to this world. My tiny little ones remind me that anything is possible and that all of our steps have already been ordered. Our paths may not be what we'd like and we will definitely meet our share of challenges but if we are faithful every thing will work out for our good. 

We were wheeled into the recovery room where we spent the next two hours. I love it that your baby stays with you through out the entire birth experience now. I will share more on our hospital stay, coming home and getting started with breastfeeding later. Thank you for all of the well wishes!

Pregnancy Update & Chic Bump Watch: 31 Weeks

weight gain so far ~ 14 pounds

Savannah and I just got home from another visit at the hospital. I went in for my Non-Stress Test and a growth scan. I also had to give blood and pick up the jug for another twenty four hour urine test. The twenty four hour urine test tests for pre eclampsia. We were at the hospital for a total of three hours so we were both very excited and happy when we left.

My blood pressure has spiked up a little again. It had been normal until this week. During my NST the monitor has been picking up very light contractions. I can't feel them and apparently they are normal. I never had them with Sav so it's a little weird knowing you're having contractions and not being able to feel them. During my growth scan baby boy and all my fluids looked great and there are no concerns from my Doctor. Can I just say that technology is so amazing? Ultrasounds machines and all the different machines and computers that are out there to help with pre-natal care is crazy. 

Before leaving the hospital I was finally given a tour of labor and delivery. I had to ask several times before I was given one and I'm glad I was persistent. I learned so much. I mainly wanted a tour so that I could better plan for Savannah's time at the hospital. I wanted to see how much space we'd be working with and what all the amenities were for families. To my surprise there were lots of things to help with having a little one at the hospital. The rooms are extremely spacious for one and they all come with cable TV and DVD players. The DVD will come in very handy while Savannah is visiting. The Mother and Baby wing also offers a kitchenette area that comes fully stocked with all kinds of child friendly goodies. They had everything you could think of that a young big brother or sister would want or need. There was milk, juice, applesauce, pudding cups, ice cream bars, popsicles...you name it! It's all free too. That's going to help out so much. Of course I will have packed her own snacks but there's nothing better than a free plan B.

I'll continue to go in for my NSTs two times a week in addition to my regular Doctor's appointments. We are getting close! We set up our baby boy's crib a couple weeks ago. My husband pulled all the baby gear out of storage and it's clean and ready to go. All I need to do now is wash all of his clothes and install his car seat. 

The Hospital Bag Part I

This post feels a little premature but I'm going to write it anyway. Today at my doctor appointment my Doctor gave me all the information I needed to get started on my pre admission paper work. I can not believe that it's time to do that already. I'll be getting that started on Thursday when I go back for my NST (non-stress test). Being at the hospital two to three times a week is a lot but at least it keeps me on top of what I should be getting done.

After leaving my appointment I figured now was as good as time as any to start thinking about packing my bag for the hospital. What do I want to take? What did I take last time that I never used? That kind of thing. Right off the bat I remember packing makeup and never using it after I delivered Savannah. From what it looks like, there's no WiFi (where they do that at?) in the Labor & Delivery/Mother & Baby wing of the hospital. So unless I bring my own WiFi there's no need to bring a laptop. 

I don't know maybe I'm more a Low Maintenance Mama than I thought, but I just didn't use a lot of the recommended items that most lists have. I used the hospital gowns and the hospital mesh panties that they provided. I had previously read about how messy your own gown could get and I didn't see the point in buying one for the purpose of sitting in a hospital bed. I had also read that the mesh panties that they provide were more comfortable than regular panties if you're having a c-section. Since I'm a c-section Mama I figured I'd give their panties a try and bring some of my own just in case I didn't like the ones they provided. I have to say, they mesh panties were great right after surgery. I was very comfortable.

Here is a pin I found that has a pretty basic list of what I think is necessary for your trip to the hospital. I'll post my actual list with pics when I pack my bag. Was there anything you took to the hospital that you didn't use? What's an item that you're glad you had with you?

*The description on this pin was written by the original pinner.*

Second Baby Syndrome

Have y'all heard of second baby syndrome? Supposedly it's when you're more carefree about your second baby than you were with your first. It's like you've been there and done that so you don't stress as much. Well. By now you have probably figured out that I am a crazy planner. Let me tell you there is nothing more crazy than a planner that has nothing to plan, haha!!

I keep having this feeling that I should be doing something to prepare for the baby. Don't get me wrong there is some work to be done but it's nothing huge. There's no shower to get ready for, no extensive baby gear research to be done and no books to read. I mean. I guess I could read a book about siblings or having baby number two but honestly I don't have time for that. Google is quicker and cheaper. Not to mention Pinterest probably has every tip and trick known to parents by now.

I just have the weirdest feeling that I'm not doing enough to prepare for my baby boy. I know it's all in my head but I can't help it, haha! The only thing that I still need to do is buy his crib and mattress. Other than that I literally have nothing to do but wait for him. I guess it's a good thing though. Between all my check-ups and appointments (and dance rehearsal and play dates) I don't have time to do much of anything. I'm surprised I even find time to still write this blog. 

Am I crazy? I know I sound crazy! Did anyone else have second baby syndrome or go through this crazy feeling when they were pregnant with number two?

Baby Update & Breastfeeding

This past weekend flew by. I can't even remember what we did. I remember going to church and that's about it. I went in to see the doctor today and I am happy to share that everything is going well with the baby. My blood pressure is still high (it stayed high through out my entire pregnancy with Savannah), but I passed all the screenings for pre eclampsia so no worries there. :-) 

I have reached that point in my pregnancy where they start administering the "non-stress" tests. The "non-stress" test is a test they give to monitor the baby's heart rate and movement. I'll be going in twice a week for my tests until I deliver. They'll plug me up to a machine and I'll just lye there for about thirty minutes to an hour. I did the same thing with Savannah. This let's me know that the end is near. I can not believe how fast this pregnancy is flying by. So crazy.

Which brings me back to thinking about breastfeeding preparation. I've been pulling out all of my old books and resources to give myself a refresher on how things go and best practices. Since I really want to try to increase my milk supply this time I've been focusing on learning more about how to achieve that. If it doesn't happen that's okay too. Savannah never had a supply of milk in the freezer but I would love to try to have a few bottles this time around so that my husband can help more. I was able to find a good one sheeter on increasing your milk supply on pinterest. 

Credit

Fenugreek never worked for me while I was pregnant with Sav. This time I am going to try the infamous Mother's Milk tea and Raspberry Leaf tea. Raspberry Leaf tea was actually recommended to me by a lady at church. I am hoping that the teas and a healthy diet will be the key for me. Anyone have suggestions for me that really worked for you? Anything that I can start doing now (other than drinking lots of water)?

H-E-B Little Texans Tour

I am so pleased to announce that I have been asked to be a guest speaker during the HEB Little Texans Tour. The tour will take place at several of the HEB locations throughout the San Antonio area and Sea World. There will be product demonstrations, exclusive discounts, activities for kids and of course guest speakers! Sounds fun, right?

I will be apart of the following tour dates:

May 5, 2013 - HEB
May 6, 2013 - HEB
May 8, 2013 - HEB
May 11, 2013 - Sea World

Please check the HEB  site for the addresses for the dates I provided. I would love to meet some of my readers! Thank you again to everyone who supports this blog. It has always been my dream to stay at home with my kids but still do meaningful work. I am beyond appreciative that doors have been opening for me. I am a living example that living in your purpose and having faith will indeed move mountains. Have a great weekend every one! I may get a style post up tomorrow so please check back! 

Sleepless with Savannah

I shouldn't be calling this Sleepless with Savannah anymore. She's actually sleeping great now. But since I couldn't come up with a better name for this post I decided to stick with what I knew. So. As you might remember I was originally thinking about doing a shared nursery. I thought it would make it easier for me and I still believe that it will to some degree.

I'm starting to feel a little anxious about them sharing a room. Mainly because I don't want her waking up every time the baby does. She's pretty good about going back to sleep if she does wake up in the middle of the night but still...I just don't want to have to deal with that. I'll be nursing, changing diapers and doing too much for it to not bother her sleep. I think she'll sleep better in her own room. I think we'll all sleep better if she's in her own room.

Lately, I've been tossing around the idea of changing the guest room into her big girl room. The room isn't really that big. All of her toys and books would have to stay in the nursery. Which I like because it keeps all the toys in books in one place. She'll have plenty to keep her busy when I'm nursing. My plan is to decorate the guest room with her current room decor and decorate the current nursery for our baby boy. I could just be creating more work for myself but I'll do whatever it takes to keep getting some sleep. 

We'll see how things go. Right now I'm still in the brainstorming stage. If your toddler and newborn shared a room please share how that worked out for your family. I would love to hear about some of your experiences!

Maternity Style: What I Wore

Happy Friday!! I quickly wanted to share what I wore to an event last weekend. I was asked to be a speaker at the event so I wanted to look stylish and pulled together. Nothing is easier to pull together than a LBD. Pregnant or not it looks good on everybody. I kept my accessories simple with gold hoops, my watch and a gold bangle.

I pulled the belt off of another dress and gave myself a little empire waist. The belt is black and white polka dots with a gold buckle. Love it.

To finish off my look I wore some nude platform heels. They were a gift from my husband and I love them. I can not wait to wear them more after the baby is born. 

Dress - Target (old)

Belt- Express (it came with a dress)

Shoes- Chinese Laundry

Bangle- Express

Watch- My everyday Michael Kors Chronograph timepiece.

Not too bad for someone a few days shy of being six months pregnant, right?

iPhone Apps for Toddlers

Today I'm sharing some of Savannah's favorite apps on the iPhone. It's amazing to me that she can unlock my phone and navigate through the screens to find her folder. It's also very convenient. At first I was a little frustrated with her having my phone so much. Then I realized that as long as she was learning something and enjoying herself I was perfectly okay with not having my phone twenty four seven. She does have a Leapfrog Leap Pad but I really think she enjoys the apps on my phone more. 

I put all of her games in one folder so that they are easier for her to find. I have added and removed many apps and these seem to be her favorite. Her absolute favorite has to be "Endless ABC". It teaches spelling, definitions, letter recognition and phonetic sounds. The graphics are great and it makes learning very fun. "ABC Song" is probably her next fave. Of course it teaches the ABC song but it also covers letter recognition, memory matching, writing skills, puzzles and letter/word association. "Candy Count" is a counting game that also teaches colors, but the colors are limited to just a few. "Baby Cards" and "My First Apps" are flash card apps that contain all kinds of flash cards. They cover everything from animals, emotions, food and hundreds of objects. "Seek and Find" is a fun sound game. When you click on different parts of the scenes you reveal sounds. "Paint Sparkles" is a fun painting and coloring app. The piano app is another one she plays for fun. I had originally downloaded "Wheel of Fortune" for me, but she really likes playing it so I moved it to her folder.     She isn't solving puzzles yet but she does understand how the game is played and she likes spinning the wheel and picking letters. "Blast Monkeys" is another fun game. The goal is to aim the monkey at the bananas to advance to the different levels. She really loves this game and affectionately calls it "Monkey Jungle". All of these apps were free with the exception of Wheel of Fortune.  What are some of your toddler's favorite apps? Please share. I'm always looking to try new games with her.
- posted from my chic iPhone

Creating a Baby Registry for Baby Two

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend! I had the pleasure of speaking at an event over the weekend. My topic covered shopping for your family on a budget. It was my first time speaking as a blogger and I really enjoyed it. Another activity I had the pleasure of doing was creating a baby registry for our baby boy. Initially I wasn't going to create a registry. Then after getting a couple calls from friends and family wanting to know about a registry I figured I should go ahead and do one.

I always thought that you weren't "suppose" to have a baby shower for your second baby. Especially if your two children are close in age. Then I realized that if people wanted to send some love to my baby who was I to keep him from being showered like his sister was. Even though I am not having a baby shower this time around I figured that a registry was still a good way to give our friends and family a guide to what we need if they wanted to send something.

We still have all of our baby gear from Sav so really the only thing that I registered for was diapers and wipes. You can never have too many of those in any size, right? I made it really simple and put all types of brands and sizes on there. Since some of you may need baby gear items for baby two here are the items we received at Savannah's shower that worked great. I would recommend these to my closest girl friend....

All three of these items are part of the Fisher Price Zen Collection. The high chair has some incredible features. It reclines, the tray is dishwasher safe and the soft cushion is machine washable. Loved this high chair!

 This swing was amazing. It plugs into the wall so you don't need batteries. The seat is removable so if baby falls asleep and you need to go to another room you can just pop the seat off and take the baby with you without touching the baby. Perfect.

 I have to be honest. Sav didn't care too much for this chair. I kept it because it was another seat that she could rest in while I was in the shower. It worked great for that. Hopefully her brother will like it a bit better than she did. I think there's only so much vibrations one can take. Whenever I get a pedicure I'm always trying to turn my chair off before they're finished, haha!

The travel system we went with was the Chicco Cortina Chic (which is a big coincidence. i wasn't even blogging back then.) I liked it okay. It performed its job fine. Sometimes I found it to be a bit large. Navigating through some tight spaces and aisles was a challenge. I did love the big storage basket and the cup holders on the handle. The snack tray on the front is removable so as your kid grows you can take the tray off if you'd like. Since my carseat hasn't expired we'll be using it again. Yes I know it has pink in it but it's pretty light. I honestly don't feel the need to purchase another travel system for such a temporary stage in his life. My husband doesn't care about me using it so I'm not going to worry about it either. Besides, he'll be getting worn in a carrier more than he'll be strolling. Sav will still be getting pushed in her "lite" stroller, and I am not even about that double stroller life so...

What were some of your favorite baby gear items? What was on your registry for baby two? For some reason I feel the need to state that this was not a sponsored post. These are actual items that we were gifted or purchased on our own. 

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