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Monday, December 30, 2013

My morning sickness quick fix!

Being pregnant wasn't the best experience for me. There was no pregnancy GLOW that I had. It was more like constant nausea problems! Mine was sooo bad that I actually had to be put on medication to help stop it! But after a while it just didn't help any more. I tried those naseua pops that you can buy at the store that people swear by but that didn't even seem to take the edge off of it. I finally tried this recipe my friend gave me to and let me tell you! IT WORKED WONDERS! Why didn't I think of this earlier?! So I am here to share it with all you lovely ladies suffering the SAME situation I was in..





Nausea Pops
 4 cups strawberries cut up
2 bananas, sliced
1 cup apple juice
1 cup Greek yogurt, vanilla
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger

1. Wash and chop fruit and add to blender.
2. Add remaining ingredients to blender and blend on high until smooth.
3. Fresh ginger is more potent and works best but substitute powdered if it's all you have.
4. Pour into popsicle molds/paper cups with pop sticks or whatever works.
5. Freeze, enjoy and feel better!

** Some times I didn't always have apple juice on hand so I used anything from 7-up to Gatorade. Hopefully this helps some of you!!!

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Favorite Me time Indulgence

I am not going to lie, my life is INSANE! I am constantly on the go and moving. I am CONSTANTLY telling PJ no and trying to stop her quickly learned tantrums. (which I don't know WHERE she learned them from because no one does those around me, except her!) I pretty much see these tantrums roughly about 10-15 times a day on a good day! My stress is usually high with everything I have to do for my job, school, military, and taking care of little PJ. I spread myself thin in some areas but it has NEVER affected the care I give my daughter. But some times I need a little me time.

I am thankful I have a WONDERFUL husband that understands or at least pretends he understands how hard my day could be. He tries to help me out any way I can. He is pretty good about splitting our duties or letting me take a nap with he can tell I am overwhelmed, which brings me to my favorite me time indulgences.




These things can take as much time as you need. Some times only five minutes to a couple of hours.

  1. First thing first, I LOVE to nap every once in a while to catch up on my sleep. I feel as if I can never get enough sleep!
  2. Blog- I love writing on here. I feel like I may help a few people through my life journey. I would love to help the world, but I can only do that one post at a time. (If you want to me to post about a topic or just simply have questions please feel free to comment below!)
  3. Pedicures- This doesn't always mean you have to GO get it done, you can simply just do yourself. Which is something I don't mind doing! Everyone can use a little hot pink in their life!
  4. Shopping- I am not going to lie. I LOVE RETAIL THERAPY! But, I go for the deals. I don't go buy luxury items. I simply allow myself 20 bucks cash and test myself to see how far I can get by just cash.
  5. Arts/Crafts- I love creating new looks for things around the house. Like I said I can't paint. But I can make some cool diaper cakes or tutus. Which Pailynn now has 4 tutus and I have 1 myself! (I just love having a girl!) I also like to make hair bows for pj. I have gotten actually pretty good at making them!
  6. Enjoying silence while sipping on my coffee. I actually usually plan my morning around when PJ wakes up to make sure I get this time DAILY!
  7. If Pj is only napping for a little while, I love to take a LONG hot steamy shower or bath. depending on my mood. If it was already a hard day, I hit the bath tub for sure!
  8. Hot tubbing- I don't always get the chance to enjoy getting into the hot tub with my husband as much as I like. But it is always interesting when I do!
  9. Reading- I am not going to lie I am addicted to Tucker Max. He is a jerk to woman but does it with a side of humor which enlightens my days of being young and always wanting to date guys just like him! What is it with bad boys?
  10. Taking Pictures/Editting pictures- I am addicted to editing Pailynn's pictures on random sites. Plus who doesn't love doing photo shoots with their little one?!
  11. EAT. I swear she knows every time I am cooking or if I am eating she wakes up screaming. WTH! Sooo if she naps around lunch time I make a salad. Otherwise if she's a little crabster Its a slim fast shake.
  12. I like to do my kick boxing work out. But finding the time to do it is beyond me. I am hoping I can get back into it when school starts.


What are your favorite indulgences?

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Increasing Breastmilk Supply

Breastfeeding started off ok for me in the beginning, but I had troubles getting her to latch on. I even talked with a consultant. The only thing they really could tell me what to do is try a shield. The shield worked for a little while until I was RAW and BLEEDing every time I nursed. I quit breadtfeeding shortly after PJ was born. I couldn't take the pain I was constantly in. So, I am no expert on this situation. So I hit up my mommy friends on what they do to boost their breast milk supply. Here are some of their suggestions:

  1. Drink 10-12 glasses of water a day
  2. Set up routine feedings
  • try to pump 15 minutes at a time at least 8 times a day. If you just breast fed your little one pump for 5-10 minutes afterwards.
  1. Get enough rest. (yes I know REALLY?)
  2. Lactation Cookies (Recipe below)
  3. Eat oatmeal daily
  4. Eat carrots for a snack
  5. Use more garlic
  6. Eat Nuts also for a snack
  7. Sesame Seeds
  8. eating more ginger
  9. Eat foods with complex carbohydrates. (brown rice, whole grain pasta, whole wheat bread, and beans.
  10. Eat lean meats (chicken breasts, fish, low-fat dairy products, and soy products.
  11. Talk to your OB about using a prescription or herbal supplements (fenugreek, blessed thistle, and red raspberry_ The prescription drug is called metoclopramide.)
  12. Limit the use of pacifiers and bottles this way when you go to feed your little one they are satisfying their suckings needs during their feedings.
  13. Skin to skin contact during breastfeeding (baby naked except for diaper)




     


Lactation Cookies
1 cup of butter
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of brown sugar
4 tablespoons of water
2 tablespoons of flax seed meal
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
3 cups of steel cut oats
1 cup of chocolate chips ( I also add white chocolate!)
4 tablespoons of brewer's yeast

Directions:

 
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F
 
Mix the flaxseed meal and water, let sit for about five minutes
 
Cream the butter sugar, and brown sugar
 
Add eggs and mix well
 
Add flaxseed mix and vanilla and mix well
 
Sift together flour, brewer's yeast, baking soda, and salt
 
Add dry ingredients to butter mix
 
Stir in oats and chocolate chips
 
Scoop into balls onto baking sheets (1 inch balls)
 
Bake for 12 minutes then allow to cool before removing off of tray!

     

Name Decor for bedroom

This is a TBT before Pailynn was born. I wanted to decorate her room. I knew I wanted yellow and gray chevron for the most part. I wanted something fun and simple for in her room. I know I am not a good painter.. so the this is the best solution I had.



I bought the Following items:
Wood letters spelling: Pailynn
Scrapbook paper
Spray adhesive
Sanding block

I took the wood letters and traced each letter onto the scrapbook paper. I then cut out (to the best of my ability lol) the letters. Once done, I sprayed one letter at a time and placed the scrapbook paper onto the wood letters. I continued each letter at a time until all the letters were done. Let dry over night if possible. Also, don't worry about the scraggly ends where you can't cut straight, that is where the sanding block comes into play! Once dry lightly sand all edges which should make the scrapbook paper just fall off. and BOOM your all done and have an amazing unique look to your little one's room!

I also wanted some other pictures. and again I can't paint, so this was my solution. Paint canvas completely one color and let dry over night. Next pick a color you would like to go on top of your new background color. (I picked yellow as my background, and white for the circles) who's great at painting circles? Not me! I cheated!! I used a toilet paper roll and dabbed it into the paint and press against canvas. Once complete it looked like this!

 
 
I used tape to get the lines as straight as possible.
 
 

 

 


Friday, December 27, 2013

Baby Shower GALOR

So many of my friends are getting pregnant and having babies now! I am so excited for them to either join me in the mommy world or adding a new addition to their family. One thing I don't really care for all that much is baby showers. I get the point, it is just like a wedding shower, but more boring because (most of the time) there is no alcohol. (I don't drink, but some times I need one glass to take the edge off of meeting new people!) So I decided to introduce to EVERYONE the new WAYS to throw a FUN and ENJOYABLE baby shower.




First off- I wasn't too smart when I had my baby shower- for one! I rented a bar for the hubbies beer and diapers party, when I should have combined out shower into a BIG BASH!.. Believe me, it would have been a lot more fun for my "close" friends. But not so much for my co-workers, so you may need two separate showers! More people- More love and advice you will get for handling your little bundle of joy!


Are you sick of going to a baby shower and playing the same boring games over and OVER again? I am ... But here are some games that will keep your baby shower some punch!

  • Late Night Diapers (You can lay out diapers on a table with permanent markers. Let your guest write on the diapers, anything they want. The most creative, wins by applause!
    • Examples: isn't it daddy's turn yet?
    • caution open at your own risk
    • only a few more thousand before I'm potty trained
  • Pacifier necklace- you can make this by ribbon and if you google pacifier décor you can find them 12 for a $1 or 48 for $4.25. If you don't have enough time or money you can use clothes pins which you can get at the dollar store or dollar general pretty cheap!
    • who ever says baby loses their necklace
    • the one with the most necklaces at the ends win.
  • Baby shower price is right game- Guess prices for different baby items.
  • "My water broke"- Buy small babies that can fit in an ice tray or you can use those pacifiers you bought for the first game. When your pacifier. baby hits the bottom your guest must be the first one to say "My water broke" wins. You cannot help your ice melt faster in any other way.
  • Decorate a onsie with permanent markers (just like the diapers)
  • Baby libs-
    • My name is __(proper noun)__ and I've known __(name of person who is having the baby) for __(years)__. I __(verb)__ all the way from __(noun)__ to celebrate this day. I am so __(adjective)__ that __(name of person who is having the baby)__ is going to be a mommy! --(Name of person who is having the baby shower)__ is by far the most __(adjective)__ __(noun)__ and I know her mommy skills will be very __(Adjecttive)__ for many years to come. My best baby advice? Don't forget to wrap the baby in warm __(noun)__ after his/her bath. A sure way to get the baby to fall asleep is to sing a loud version of __(Name of song)__. Finally, you should always dispose of dirty diapers in the __(noun)__. I wish you a life time of happiness, and __(adverb)__ __(noun)__.
  • Toliet paper diaper- Split your party into small groups. Give each group a couple rolls of toilet paper. The mommy to be is who makes the decision of which group is to win.
  • Guess the babies birth day- print out a calendar and have your guest write on it, when the baby is born give the winner their prize!


Tips: If you are throwing the party you should help the soon to be mommy get a head start on the thank you cards. Place a box filled with the envelopes for the thank you cards and make a sign that says: Please be so kind, save the parents-to-be some time. Write your name & address on the envelopes inside. I also had an extra box that I labeled Completed Envelopes so my guest knew where to put the envelope they wrote on.

Favors-
  • Blow pops- with a sticker or piece of paper tied to the stick saying" Look who's about to pop!"
  • Set up a candy station that way quests can choice what they want!
  • Puff or loofa with a tag saying "from my shower to yours!"

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Christmas Day Celebrations!

I felt like a kid in a candy store! I was the first one up in my house and I walked around with a big smile on my face as I went about my normal daily routine. Finally about nine o'clock, PJ woke up and gave me a reason to wake up the hubster to get our Christmas on!! We didn't even change clothes. It was a PJ type of Christmas!! Literally. Although I was still bummed about the night before, I still tried to make the best out of the situation. I know I have to take TWO of her biggest presents back, but this was a learning experiment. Which is actually good that it happened this year, when she won't remember rather than next year when she might remember. Her first Christmas will always be memorable for me! She started to stand more and walk around while holding objects. What amazes me is now she wants to stand ALL the time. She would rather stand than sit now, which can get a little tricky! Here are some pictures of PJ on the day of Christmas!



Hope Everyone enjoyed there Christmas, and are ready to start the new year with a new BANG!

Christmas Eve's Marathon Event!

So I might have over did myself just a little by trying to cram every little holiday party my family has to go into one day! I was worried PJ becoming cranky well, I forget when she gets cranky my mood changes as well... Cheering her up was hard... She was soooo tired and when she did fall asleep she woke up because people were loud or she woke up because she was hot from laying on me. Don't get me wrong, I love my family and I love my in-laws but ...24 hours of no "me" time was a little to much for me to bare and made be very irritable and cranky. I did get a little mouthy with my brother. You got to remember brothers and sisters will always bicker, even when they get older. It doesn't mean I don't love him any less. Moving on:



Christmas at the in-laws: We had an amazing lunch and I of course had to take advantage of some hot coffee to wake me up a little bit. Everyone loved my fudge which is pretty cool since, I made it from the microwave and it only took about 10 minutes maybe max! The kids were all excited to open presents they couldn't eat fast enough. Little did they know they actually had to wait on Pj to wake up from her cat nap. (literally like 20-30 min long!) Once Pj was up Santa was on the move!! Pj had a little rough time at first getting into the swing of opening presents. She was more curious about the boxes and bags than the actual presents at first, until daddy starting playing with them of course. I couldn't wait for my in-laws to open their gift. I put a lot of time and effort into make the prefect coffee cup for them definitely made with love and photos of the cutest little girl ever! (PJ of course!) Some times mornings are rough and it is hard to start the day off right, but whenever they take a sip to get the morning going they will see PJ's smiling face and huge dimples giving them the power they need to make it through the day! Their face was priceless when they opened their presents!

 
 
 
The in-laws was shortly lived we were off to my parents house for Christmas. I couldn't even wait for the perfect photo opportunity! My daughter and nephew in front of the tree on their first Christmas!!  Behinde in the background you can see the matching Toy boxes the little ones got and their presents sitting on top. Didn't take but 15 minutes for my family to start opening presents. Again PJ didn't take much interest in opening her presents but she did play with the boxes, wrapping paper, and ribbon. So hey that's one step up from the boxes! Once that was all done my parents gave us the most surprising gift and unexpected. I didn't expect for much for Christmas, I would rather it go towards PJ and the things she needs, but my parents are amazing needless to say. Just like my in-laws I got my father a coffee mug also. I think he liked it. He told me he didn't want to use it because he didn't want to ruin it, as I assured him it is dishwasher safe on the first rack only!..
 
The genius Christmas idea::
Marney and I started unwrapping two different shaped boxes. We had to go step by step together. We then had to open one of the flaps and slowly pull the ribbon out. Being the untrusting person I am, I expected something to come flying out so I pointed the opening of the box towards Kevin while I pulled. (LOL) but nothing scary popped out instead, a gift card came falling out along with more ribbon and another gift card etc. Once I finally finished pulling the rest of the ribbon out we ended up with 20 different gift cards to random places each $10 bucks. When you think about it, this Idea is GENIUS! You can start collecting these gift cards all year just for Christmas. This way when Christmas comes, you don't have to worry about shoveling out a crap load of money!!  Parents with older children or people who are hard to buy for.. this is a perfect idea!! Plus if you are looking to put more than 10 bucks on a card.. and are doing it for a multiple of people, check out Sam's club they have pretty good deals on gift cards where you actually pay less than what the total cost of the gift card is!
 
 
Once all that done, we waited around for my dad's side of the family to come to my parents house for Christmas dinner. (As if I wasn't full enough!) Once, everyone ate dinner, including the little ones, we were at round three of opening presents. My husband and I pretty much gave up on trying to get PJ to open the presents, so he opened them or her while I held her. She got a bunch of cool presents. (Some that were actually on my Christmas on a budget post needless to say)
 
 
Homemade Salt Dough Foot/Hand Print Ornament
1/2 Cup of Salt
1/2 Regular Flour
1/4 cup of water
Mix all together roll out and make hand/foot print.
Make sure you poke a hole where you want to hang your ornament at!
Bake at 200 degrees F for 3 hours
Let Cool and then paint as your little heart desires..
 
My epic fail: I can't paint very well but here is the  pictures when I was all done!
 
Microwave Fudge
ingredients:
1 cup of peanut butter
1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of powder sugar
 
Place peanut butter and butter into microwavable bowl for two minutes. Once two minutes is done, pull out and stir. Place Vanilla extract in and put back into microwave for another two minutes. Once done, whisk powder sugar into bowl making it as smooth as possible. Once smooth place into desired container. And let cool. (It's winter where I live so I left it outside, for about four hours, otherwise you can leave in the fridge for that same amount of time!) You can add other candies in if you want. I think I might try some rolos next year!
 
 

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Gender Reveal

So I decided I wanted to do some throw back times. I know a lot of my friends are having children. So I wanted to share with everyone how my husband and I decided we wanted to announce to our family and the world (facebook) what gender our baby would be..

It took a lot of preparation. Let's just say my mother and I couldn't help but to shop at garage sales for super deals on baby clothes before we even knew the sex!

Here was the plan: I wanted a way to get my parents and my husband mother involved all at the same time, I racked and racked my brain. I searched for different ideas on pinterest but I knew I wouldn't be able to pull some of those things off (quickly that is). I bought pink balloons, white balloons, and blue balloons. I picked outfits, one boy and one girl outfit. I then picked out the third outfit in whatever gender the baby will be.

First step is to blow up the Pink balloon and write IT'S on the balloon, pretty small the bigger it gets blown up the bigger it gets plus you don't want them to be able to read it without blowing it up. (To write on the balloon I used a permanent marker!)

The Second balloon is blue and you write A on it. The third balloon the white one, you write whatever gender the baby will be.


For the first and second box to be opened!::
Once that was all done, I packaged each box in the following order: a hersheys bar with the letters SHE colored in pink went in all the boxes at the bottom and taped it down so it didn't move! (Nobody even knew they were there until the end!) I hid them with about three layers of tissue paper. I then laid down the outfit and placed the balloon on top. I then wrapped the boxes.

The third box is a little different:

You still tape down the Hershey bar to the bottom of the box but you also place (a thinner) outfit of the gender of sex you are having underneath the tissue paper as well and place white balloon on top and wrap up.

On Each Box:
I wrote out directions. I also labeled the boxes (box1,box2,box3) So I would remember which order!! I told them they can open up the present and they must blow up the balloon to reveals clues. They have to open in order and cannot move on to the next present before the first balloon isn't all the way blown up. (easier to take pictures..)


Here were the results!!


 

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Traveling made E*ZZAAYYY

Alright, Christmas is literally around the corner. I feel as if EVERY time I go out with her anywhere I feel as if I am carrying half of her bedroom, literally! I am the mom who HATES not to have enough diapers, food, toys ect... Here are some tips and tricks to making traveling LESS stressful on everyone involved.



First off-- Here are a few things to remember when FLYING with your little one. (remember kids 2 & under fly free domestically within the US but this option makes have to hold your child. Whereas you can purchase a ticket for your child and have them fly in their car seat that is approved.)

Tricks: try to fly during nap times or bedtime. This will allow your child the chance to sleep through the WHOLE trip with ease. Also when you are taking off or landing remember to offer a bottle or breastfeed during this time. By doing this you are helping your child pop their ear drums, since they don't know how to physically pop their ears themselves.

Here are a few products that I use to help make my traveling easier:

  1. Pack & play. -- I never got a travel crib because personally my husband and I cannot afford to go very far. But this helps out a ton! Our is pretty compactable and is very easy to put up or take down.
  2. Graco Travel System- This includes the base, car seat, and stroller. If your child is above the weight for them to use the base it is almost pointless to take the base. My child can still use the base but she gets really cramped up when attaching the car seat to the stroller. So I have to actually take her out of the car seat now any time we go shopping or get out to go anywhere. The only reason the stroller from the travel system is amazing is because they can lay down or sit down but it also gives PJ easy access to her snacks (because there is a snack cup) but also a cup holder for her juice.
  3. The next time we get a little extra money in our pockets we are buying "The First Years On The Go, Booster Seat) It is compact and light weight. It can easily fit in your diaper bag back pack!! This will also come in handy for when my nephew comes to visit since we only have one high chair!
  4. My baby uses formula so I find it super easy to have the formula dispenser and bottles filled with water, that way any where I go I just put the formula in the bottle and she can drink it. Like I said in a previous post, Hyvee makes an attachment that hooks on top of the water bottle! Which makes it awesomely easily to carry only water bottles.
  5. I actually bought plastic containers from Dollar general for about two bucks. I like it because I can put her a variety of her foods in one container. She can have a little pasta, a lil veggies, and a lil fruit all in one container! BOO YAA!!!
  6. Don't forget your baby carrier, that is if you prefer it. Personally I maybe used mine TWICE? But I know a lot of moms who LOVE the moby wrap!

Obviously you can't forget the diaper bag!! But I am the type of mom who always hates when I don't have enough diapers. I pack that diaper bag full of like twenty diapers, granted diapers aren't always that heavy but they take up some much needed space for toys to pre-occupy the little one! So I put my brain to use to solve this little dilemma I had..

I took a plastic container I had laying around the house. I believe I actually got it from Dollar general for 4-5 bucks! I placed the following items in there incase I happened to run out of something while out and about and placed it in the trunk of my car.

  • blanket
  • wipes
  • diapers
  • extra formula
  • bottles of water
  • A & D ointment
  • little toy
  • you can also add a couple of pacifiers in there. My child sucks her thumb so I never really need these
  • I also placed Tylenol and some syringes incase my little one is in pain while we are traveling. This way I always had it on hand incase I forgot to put it into the diaper bag.
  • You can also place some snacks into there like yogurt bites or puffs to hold your little one over to get home for lunch/dinner!

Friday, December 20, 2013

The sound of....

The sound of grinding teeth sends shivers up and down my spine! Why the heck is my nine month old doing this? I tried to contact my friend who is a dental assistant about this. But I think she got busy and forgot about me, so being the worrier that I am I decided to do some research of my own.. This is what I found::


 Apparently this is NORMAL. SAY WHAT! Just the sound alone make me tremble!!!

Some say that this is their way of getting used to having their NEW teeth in their mouths. They also say that it can be triggered by teething,  ear aches, breathing problems, stuffy nose, and allergies. This isn't bad for your child, it just sounds horrible.

I tried to find a way to stop this horrible habit, but as far as I could find, there isn't one other than for discomfort give the proper dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Any Suggestions?

P.S.-
PJ doesn't take a pacifier. Shes a thumb sucker, so not even that helps!

http://www.babycenter.com/0_teeth-grinding-bruxism_1524446.bc


red reared and cranky

When I say red reared, I mean a horrible case of diaper rash! I start to wonder how in the heck it could have gotten so bad so fast! I hated her screams of pain when trying to wipe (pat) her clean...




Here are some tips and tricks on how to keep your little one from getting a diaper rash and tips/tricks on how to get rid of it quickly...

  1. Obvious one is to change diaper frequently.
  2. Rise diaper area well after each diaper change
  3. Make sure to lather on (generously) some sore of ointment. MORE is better
  4. Make sure you pat skin dry instead of rubbing or wiping
  5. Make sure you put each diaper on loosely. The will allow room for the child's buttocks area to air out and not rub as much
  6. Try a different brand of diapers (if you use disposable) Some times a rash is a signal that your baby may not be able to wear that particular diaper. (Pj can use huggies but not Sams brand.) Also make sure you are not constantly changing brands of diapers.
  7. Make sure you check your wipes for alcohol or propylene gycol. That substance makes the diaper rash burn more and actually make it work for your little one.
  8. Let is ALL HANG OUT!!! Some people actually let their child lay naked in bed to help get rid of diaper rashs. I, on the other hand, Find that impossible. PJ is all over her crib when she sleeps, she would be sleeping in her own filth.! Plus she sucks her thumb, so that might create some issues!!!
  9. Warm bath water. You can also add about two tablespoons of baking soda into the water which does WONDERS!
Also:

I noticed after we had the beer and diapers party that I had a wide variety of brands of diapers. Every time I changed brands Pj's butt would get really red. Same things happen with wipes.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Elf on the shelf ideas

I am so excited to start this elf on the shelf. I wish PJ was old enough to even get excited. She won't understand right now so until them I am just twirling my fingers while looking for different ideas for when she will.. I am a very organized person, I want enough different "ideas" that would be roughly two a day (one at night, and one at nap time) for 25 days of December. So far this is the list I complied...

Feel free to share or even post pictures of these CRAZY ideas!



1.) On kitchen counter- made an "snow angel" out of flour.
2.) Caught drinking my wine, holding on to my wine glass






 



3.) In a Kleenex box (as a bed) sick for the day.
4.) Holding on to the angel on top of the Christmas tree. (or star in my case!)

5.) Caught changing the clocks.
6.) Baked cookies sitting on top of the oven (after it cools off of course ;))
7.) Build a fort with Pjs books while she is sleeping.
8.) Roasting a marshmallow over a candle ;)
9.) Caught eating Pjs favorite snack
10.) Coloring in color book
11.) Driving pj's Barbie's car -when she gets one of course ;)
12.) Dry erase marker on mirror
13.) Sitting next to the dog food bowl with dog food scattered everywhere and the container next to him.
14.) Eating Santas milk and cookies
15.) Hanging out in the stocking
16.) Playing childs favorite board game.
17.) Playing on computer
18.) Watching TV
19.) Crashing the family photo
20.) Using my coffee cup as a bubble bath
21.) Eating a candy cane
22.) Tea party
23.) Talking on Pj's toy phone
24.) Hanging out with Barbie
25.) Fishing for gold fish
26.) Hanging out on the fridge
 


27.)  Trying to steal Santa's wine bottle ;)
28.) Hanging out in my apron

29.) Chilling in the cookie jar


30.) Drinking Grandma's Diet Coke

31.) Riding on PJs bath toy =)

32.) Drinking Grandpas Tea

33.) Ella rubber banded the sprayer in the kitchen. She not only got Grandpa soaked once, but TWICE!

34.) In revenge Grandpa decided to HANG ella. It was a sad day.. Good thing she's like a cat with nine lifes!!!


I absolutely loved the picture with the elf pooping out the kisses but that is not something I want to show my daughter lol.


Happy Elfing everyone!

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Baby food DOS & DON'TS

4-12 months
Honey- It harbors spores of Clostridium botulinum which causes botulism. An adult's intestinal tract can prevent the growth of these spores, but in a baby the spores can grow and produce life-threatening toxins.

Cow's milk and soy milk- Stick with breast milk or formula until your child's first birthday. Your little one cannot digest the protein in it and it doesn't have all the nutrients they need. It also contains minerals in amounts that can damage their kidneys!! =(.
Crazy to think that my grandparents feed this to my dad and uncle!!


Choosing solid foods for your child-
Doctors recommend waiting until the age of one or even later to introduce foods that are common allergens. Remember to introduce new foods gradually so you can easily identify which ones are causing the problems!

If you have certain food allergies.. Make sure you talk to your pediatrician about introducing those foods into your child's diet to see if they think it is safe or not!



I started out making my own baby food and the vegetables were always so bland, I couldn't take it! I did some research on different recipes and how long each vegetable and fruit stay good for once frozen. I found that you can add more than just fruit or vegetables together. SPICE IT UP! Make sure you check which spices are ok and not ok for you to use before you start adding anything in. I found out that a lot of pediatricians want you to wait until the child is about 8 months before adding spices/herbs to your child's baby good. Two things that they recommend you not using is sugar and salt (salt because it is really hard on your little one's kidneys!)

Some examples of herbs/spices you can use is:
  • thyme
  • vanilla
  • pepper
  • garlic
  • basil
  • rosemary
  • dill
  • oregano
  • ginger
  • lemon zest
  • cinnamon
  • mint
  • nutmeg
  • anise
with that said.. Spice up your babies life and add a little ZEST!

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

teething PROBLEMS..

Dealing with a teething baby is extremely exhausting. You might as well throw your sanity right out the window and be prepared for a screaming, cranky, drooling, restless baby.. But here are some ways I personally found helpful during this insane life of being a mommy.

 

 

 



1. Tylenol- make sure to ask your pediatrician so you can get the correct dose for your little ones weight and for how often to use. 

2. Teething toys- pjs favorite one is one that I actually got from dollar general prolly because it's an ice cream cone. The ice cream(A) is the part that freezes and the cone part isn't as cold for your little ones fingers. She also liked the soft teething beads(B).



Ice cream cone teether (A) Dollar general or Dollar tree special ;)

 
(B) Nuby Soft Teething beads


3.) Wash cloth- I would wet down a washcloth put it in a plastic bag in the freezer. I would take it out and hand it to her when she got fussy. When she is REALLY FUSSY I soak the washcloth in chamomile tea. It helps calm her down!

4.) If you can't afford teething toys, or don't simply have them on hand you can place your little one's pacifier into the freezer for about an hour. It seems to help calm her a little down when she would actually take the pacifier!

5.) I have never tried this but you can make homemade teething biscuits.

6.) For my baby shower I got a mesh bag to put fruit in for teething. I tried freezing a banana and giving it to her in the mesh bag. Needless to say, I had a sticky baby and sticky carpet! It wasn't so bad when I froze a melon and gave it to her.

7.) You can also give them a frozen bagel or LARGE carrot that was in the freezer to naw on. (Don't leave child unattended, obviously. Don't use baby carrots, it is a HUGE choking hazard.)

8.) Room temperature teethers will also work. By allowing them to chew on it the pressure is helping their gums feel better.

9.) They make a teething necklace. I have never tried this.. Mostly because I don't see the point of spending 20-25 bucks on something my daughter or dog will chew up.

10.) Sophie the giraffe- I also don't have this for the same reason I don't have the necklace... But my nephew does have this and he eats the crap out of the head of the giraffe!

11.) PJ is now getting top teeth, my pediatrician told me I could start diluting apple juice. 2 oz water and 2 oz apple juice. The cold juice helped calm her down. Some times I just gave her cold water to help numb her sore gums. Lately I found she has been chewing up the nipple when the juice is gone.

12.) Place water in a bottle and place in freezer upside down, so that way you baby can rub her gums on the nipple while it warms up the baby can also drink. If your child is older you can also do it with a rubber tip sippy cup.

13. Gently massage the babies gums with a clean finger. I however, cannot do this since Pj has her bottom teeth and are now getting her top teeth. It is exactly like the youtube video, OUCH Charlie, that really hurt!!

14.) Rub those gums with some gauze or a fresh cloth to clean the area and soothe teething pain. If your baby has already sprouted some teeth, try brushing them with a soft, child's toothbrush.


Items I do not use because I have seen bad reviews... I have heard bad things about these...

-- Oraljel- which has benzocaine in it.
Benzocaine is associated with a rare but serious condition called methemoglobinemia, which greatly reduces the amount of oxygen carried through the bloodstream. In the most severe cases, the condition can be life-threatening. ( I heard about this from my dentist assistant and ever since, I have NEVER used it again!)

--Hyland teething tablets- FDA notified consumers that Hyland’s Teething Tablets is being recalled because the tablets may pose a risk to children. The tablets are manufactured to contain a small amount of belladonna, a substance that can cause serious harm at larger doses. For such a product, it is important that the amount of belladonna be carefully controlled. FDA laboratory analysis has found that Hyland’s Teething Tablets contain inconsistent amounts of belladonna.


FINALS WEEK =(

Hey Ya*ll,
So this week is crazy busy for me! I didn't forget any of  you! I am going to try and rock out a teething post later tonight, but all depends on how PJ is and if she will sleep tonight, plus how much studying I get done!


XOXO!

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Learning from devistation



Some times you have to take hard hits in life. You may not all known what happened to Washington, IL but it was hit by a tornado on 11/22/13 by an E4 tornado. I always felt so safe and thought I would never have to worry about a tornado until that day. Our weather scanner went off and I started thinking. I never made an emergency response kit.. Not only for me but also for my little one. I quickly ran around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to grab different things around the house before I had to go down to the basement. After seeing all of the destruction that this tornado did, I vowed to create my emergency response kit.


Your little bundle of joy will need things that are not on your standard survival kit, I personally never even thought of making this until this devastation hit near me. It was more like a reality check to my mommy*hood on how I need to be prepared for her as well.


All of these items I am about to mention; you will need to check expiration dates and stay on top of them. I took a paper protector sheet and taped it on my box in black was the parrishable item and in red was the expiration date; I keep this in the basement so: I also added a list to my fridge. (This way I can still use the products before they expire and replace them with new ones. Which is why I also used to paper protector sheet so I can take the piece of paper and replace it with correct dates)

  • Formula- Even if you are nursing! They make supplementation formula. Make sure you still have it for any reason you and your little one are separated they can still eat. (I hate to say this but, in case of the event where you didn't make it, someone will need to step in and feed the child)
  • Baby cereal- This mainly depends on if your baby is using this and which stage they are in.
  • Baby Food- make sure you keep up with their growing needs. (Step 1,2,3)
  • Tylenol & Motrin- these don't expire for a while but it is still good to keep an eye on them. I'd hate to be in a bind and have a baby with a fever or teething pain with expired medicine.
  • Baby Jammies, socks, hats- These obviously don't expire but your baby is a growing peanut! Make sure you change out the sizes as they grow.
  • Diapers- Again this item doesn't expire but the sizes also change as your baby grows.

The following items you won't need to keep track of:
  • Water bottles or gallons of water. They recommend one gallon per person. That includes your little one!
  • Bottles/sippy cups (depending on which stage your child is in) Also if you decide to go with water bottle. I know Hyvee has a nipple that can be converted to attach to water bottles.
  • Pacifiers (if your child is using, my little one is a thumb sucker which saved me a little extra room)
  • Pacifier wipes (again if you child is using a pacifier)
  • Baby wipes
  • Travel Johnson & Johnson Kit (includes: baby shampoo, baby wash, baby powder, etc)
  • I included a big tube of A & D ointment but it is your preference.
  • blankets ( I added three, only for my little one, I included others for the adults in a different kit)
  • handwarmers ( Being in the military... I learned.. these can be used to heat food up- hint: bottles, baby foot, even the baby!)
  • Saline wipes (I prefer Johnson & Johnson but you could use others)
  • Kleenex (either a box or just a travel package)
  • bibs (amount depends on your child's needs)
  • burp clothes (amount depends on your child's needs)
  • small toys (I even went out and bought a double of my child's favorite toys!)
  • plastic bags- Can be used for multiple of things. To keep extra clothes dry, dirty diapers, etc)
  • Manual breast pump and accessories (Depends on if you still need)
  • refrigerated bottle bag
  • Cold packs (I say this in case you buy the liquid formula, once you open you have to keep cold for it to stay good, or you may need this to keep your breast milk good)
  • Bulb syring & saline
If anyone else has any other suggestion please feel free to comment below! Being prepared is key! Even though I was safe during this devastation, it was still a learning experience, running around like a chicken with their head cut off was NO FUN in an uncertain and scary time!



Stay tuned in.. You won't want to miss a NEW mommy experience!

----Beautiful... Disasters----
<3 Megan


Saturday, December 7, 2013

RAW truth

Life isn't always perfect. I know this. My pregnancy was unplanned and pretty much a miracle.


Life Before Pailynn:
I worked full time at Proctor Hospital as an Emergency room tech. I also went to school full time at ICC. My husband and I rented a two bedroom condo in Eureka. Life was picture perfect. Don't get me wrong, life is still ok, it just has it's ups and downs

Life After Pailynn:
During my pregnancy I lost my job when I was about eight months pregnant, Every time I worked, I went into preterm labor. I lost my job because I was about a month short of fmla and my short term disability only covered me for two weeks and this was when I was about 36 weeks along. Long story short, my husband and I had to leave our condo and move in with parents because we couldn't afford to live off of only one of us working. Luckily it didn't put us in to too much of a slump because I get paid for monthly drill and to go to school monthly. 

I am ashamed that I am 24 years old married and living at my parents but it is better than living on the streets. 

I currently still drill and go to school full time but I also picked up a part time job that pays cash as a personal assistant and registry working for bromenn so I can keep my cna license active. 

Even though I live at home, my husband and I are lucky in the fact that my parents help is out a lot. We are starting to get more financially stable and paying off our debts to hopefully in January be able to get a house loan and move out. Otherwise in October I am eligible for the va house loan. So it is pretty much a waiting game to see when we can get approved.

I applied to nursing school and hopefully start in the fall of next year. This is the year to make all my dreams come true!

To all you first time parents who feel trapped because you live at home with your parents you can contact me and I will give you advice on how to get you out! I believe in all of you and wish you all only but the best!

Christmas Present Ideas for 2 and under

I am not going to lie. I am not financially stable and can only afford so much for my daughter. But my husband and I work our asses off to provide her with everything she needs in life! So I understand budget friendly Christmas ideas..



Here is my list of Christmas STEALS for children 2 and under!

1.) Clearance Clothing

I totally hit the target clearance section! I needed some 18 month clothes for my little one, and well.. they seemed to have more boy clothes on sale than girls. SO if you have a son, you better get there quick! There was long sleeve shirts, sweatshirts ect. for about three bucks. I scored some hot pink snake skin looking elastic pants for pj for $1.24. Yes you heard me right.. SCORE! I paird it with a black shirt and bam, just like that one outfit for under five bucks!! FYI- Right now, you can hit Walmart up they have pants and shirts by garnanimals, some for 4.88 which is the usual price but some for only three bucks! Ps. If you have a girl be careful buying garnanimal pants, I thought the laced elastic jeans were super cute, but my daughters legs can't even fit into them. To be blunt, those pants don't even fit on the bity baby I had as a child, I tried! (I don't waist clothes.. Pjs newborn outfits I have saved, to be doll clothes for when she gets older!)

2.) Baby Socks

Baby socks are EXPENSIVE. I totally hit the thrift stores, NO LIE! But I couldn't seem to find socks that actually fit here anywhere! SOOO.. I actually bought baby socks from target, there were on sale also for about five bucks, otherwise... Please note: I usually NEVER buy anything unless it is on sale!

3.) Sassy bath time toys

Like I said I did I went black friday shopping so I got a lot of good deals, but some of these you can still currently get. At Walmart when I had dropped off my "item" to my neighbor in line it was a set of bath toys for $5. I couldn't pass it up, my daughter LOVES bath time =)

4.) Foam Building Blocks- 

I bought these at Menards believe it or not for only ten bucks! I didn't want hard blocks, Pailynn isn't to stable with crawling at times and still face plants into the ground once in a while. Plus I figured if she happened to chew on them, (which she DOES!) then it wouldn't hurt her teeth!


5.) Yo Gabba Gabba Boombox

My favorite item that I got her was the Yo gabba gabba boombox! It was only 16 bucks. She LOVES Yo gabba gabba and loves their songs! It only pays four songs but so worth the money! I can't wait to see her face light up when she hears it... Don't worry. Some crazy dance photos will be coming your way soon!



6.) Leap Frog My puppy pal- Violet

I got this at target for only 19 bucks! You can personalize this toy to say your child's name! It plays five pre-loaded songs and teaches kids about colors and emotions.



7.) Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics: Musical Activity Walker


You can use this in two positions: sitting or standing. It teaches children colors, sounds, and balance. I am hoping that this will give pj a jump start on learning how to walk! Or atleast encourage her to pull herself up and stand while playing. $32.99



Stocking Stuffers-


I am not going to lie, most stocking stuffers I did get at the dollar tree. I got bubble bath, caps that change the color of your bath water, bubble guppies maracas, hair colored rubber bands, winter hat, winter gloves, rubber duckies, and educational books. From Target I also got about 6 kids movies for three bucks each! She now has a collection of dora and bubble guppies dvds. =). After all of that shoved into the stocking there wasn't much room left.


One last idea:

One toy that I really want to get pj is Tiny Love Follow me Fred. It costs $14.19 at Target but is not available online or any target store in my area :( I have looked at other stores for similar products but haven't really found the STEAL price I am looking for.


Happy Holidays ya'll!
Happy Shopping!

Stay tuned!



You don't want to miss a NEW mommy experience!

----Beautiful... Disasters----
<3 Megan

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Those little LAUGH OUT LOUD momments in life

Everyone has those mommy or daddy moments when you just can't help but to laugh at what has just happened.. DON'T FRET! These happen to my husband and I ALL the time!.. Seriously.. She is almost nine months old.. and I could count endless moments where I could do nothing but laugh off what just happened.



Someone wants some quality time ;)


1.) Kleenex PROBLEMS
 Now that she can crawl she gets into EVERYTHING. My husband isn't as good at watching her while he is doing another task as I am.. He gets distracted easily.. ;) That's why I love him.. Well I happened to walk into the room to look at something that was on the table. I get to the table, look down and I can see my daughter eating a kleenex... REALLY?! REALLY?! Hunny! I swear, I thought my dog was the only weird one who does this.. But apparently my child does to. I swiped her mouth out and moved the garbage can higher from her..and told the hubby that he needed to pay more attention to her. I'm sure that at the moment, I might have been a little mad at the husband. But not I see it more as a laughing matter! (ONLY because she didn't choke, and it's gross. I chuckle wondering how it would taste lol)

2.) EXPLOSIONS!
You will have to deal with a diaper explosion more times than one in your life. They never seem to stop!!!.. Some times I play the game where... Hunny, You are not going to hand me the baby with a poopy diaper! Go change her! On this one instance, I am CERTAINLY glad I did!! She was covered head to toe in poop apparently. The husband was so proud of himself for cleaning up that big of a mess! He comes down the stairs to hand me pj to head out the door to go to his class. I couldn't help but to chuckle to myself as I see poop streaks all up and down his shirt. What made me burst out laughing was the fact that he didn't even know that it was on his shirt. He even said, "thank goodness you told me! I would have went to school like that!"

3.) Fun in the Tub with a surprise
Pj's bath time is the most fun part of the day! I love how she splashes around smiling and giggling. It just makes my heart melt. So I started getting her cleaned up and washed her hair then re-filled her ducky bath tub so she can splash a little more in some new warm water.. Note: I didn't have any bath toys in tub at this time because I was filling it up. Little did I notice something floating around. WHAT! My daughter did NOT just poop in the tub! I about died! My mom used to always tell me that this would happen to me. Speaking from experience, I guess I used to poop in the tub all the time when I was little... Must be something about the warm water?




Stay tuned more LOL moments to come!


You don't want to miss a NEW mommy experience!

----Beautiful... Disasters----
<3 Megan


What every Mother should tell their child.

Some times in life, a girl really needs her mom. I for one wish my mom had sat down with me and told me all or even just a few of these. Granted my mom raised me to be strong and independent.. But some of these little things could have saved me from some tough life lessons. Then again, I am hard headed so I probably only learn by the life lessons.

Any who.. Here are 20 lessons I want to teach my daughter throughout her lifetime!







Self Lessons
  1. Find your passion and let it fuel you, Don't be afraid to shine on something you believe in!
  2. Happiness is a choice
  3. Respect and accept the fact that everyone is different
  4. Allow people to support and encourage you, not carry you
  5. Don't expect others to change who they are
  6. Using curse words isn't an effective way of expressing yourself, expand your vocabulary.
  7. Saying hurtful things doesn't make you honest, it makes you MEAN
  8. Be the kind of person you adore
  9. Don't lash out, it only makes you feel better for a few seconds.
  10. Take pride in your appearance.
  11. Don't judge others
  12. Envy is natural, but only use it to be motivated or inspired.
  13. Have faith in something
  14. Confidence defines beauty
  15. Be Strong
  16. Be Independent

Relationship Lessons

  1.  Enter/Stay in relationship for the right reasons.
  2. Stay true to what you want
  3. You are ENOUGH
  4. Don't lose yourself in a relationship


Stay tuned in.. You won't want to miss a NEW mommy experience!

----Beautiful... Disasters----
<3 Megan