The cutest moccasins ever: RETURNING!

Freshly Picked is bringing back some fan favorites on Wednesday! Make sure you check out their site  to order some before they go into retirement for good!

Also, Ayesha Curry (Steph Curry's wife from the Golden State Warriors, has some cuties she created in their site now!)

Be excited friends!!

First birthday madness.

I do not know why I stress myself out so much about birthday's, but it is something I always look forward too. I don't particularly love little minions running through my house destroying things, but, a birthday party means one year older, hopefully one year healthier, and an excuse to see good friends and family.

This year was particularly hard to shop for. We have like every toy invented (I know, first world problems) so I wanted to get something more meaningful for Leila's first birthday. I thought about it for awhile and finally decided last week what I was going to get her so I thought I would share with you all in case you are ever struggling what to get a one year old (like I often do)!

1/2/3/4

I wanted something she would love, and something that could be useful and meaningful. I wasn't really going for a color theme, but it kind of just worked out that way! I bought all of these items at Nordstrom because they have the best customer service and price matched all of the online sales for these items. I did not pay full price for any of them! SCORE! 

I cannot believe my littlest peanut will be one in just a few short days. I hope to have all of the pictures of her party up by the end of the holiday weekend! 

Traveling with a baby.

I would like to think I am somewhat of a pro after having three kids and traveling with all of them as they have grown up. I thought I would throw together some of the things I take with me and pack in order to make our trips as helpful as possible, because taking a baby out of their routine is no easy task!

Depending on where you are traveling to, you will need to pack accordingly. For example, if you are going to Mexico, you probably don't need a fleece for the evenings. If you are off to California, you probably do! 

As a general rule, I take the number of days, multiple that by 1.5, and that is how many outfits I bring. If your baby is under three months, multiply the number of days by 2, babies like to poop, a lot! I also pack one pair of pajamas per night, plus one extra! 

By far the easiest thing to bring when traveling is a Snap N Go stroller. Your carseat will snap right into it and it is much easier to fold up than a regular stroller, which makes getting through airport security much easier. Along with the Snap N Go, if you are renting a car you need a car seat. We ALWAYS bring our own. You can rent car seats from the rental car companies, but I just do not trust that they have never been in a crash. You can check your carseat at the counter for free, or if you prefer to carry it in the Snap N Go, you can gate check it at the boarding gate (for free). Also, a baby chest carrier just makes like easier all around, bring one, you won't be sorry! 

Another thing we did when the kids were little, when we got to the desk at out gate, we would ask the lovely people at the counter if the flight was full. If it was not, we asked to bring out baby carrier on the plane with us so the baby has something to sleep in that is comfortable for them. More times than not, we were able to bring the carseat on the plane and use a seat for free. 

For the room, we ALWAYS bring our own Pack N Play sheets. Hotel baby sheets are weird and gross. How many other babies pooped on those? Okay, puked? We pack our own! If you call the hotel and ask for a crib, more likely than not they will bring you this metal crib which looks like it belongs in an orphanage. Most hotels have Pack N Plays, so make sure you clarify which you would prefer. We also try our best to squeeze the Pack N Plays in a quiet place, like the bathroom, so we can watch TV while we fall asleep. We use our sound machine from home in order to help them feel like they are in their own room with their own sounds. It does make going to the bathroom in the middle of the night more difficult, but we would rather go down to the lobby than wake a sleeping baby! 

For bath time, we love the sponges they sell at Babies R Us. We use them at home and bring them with us and just toss them at the hotel before coming home. These things ROCK. They keep babies in place and you don't have some smelly bath tub... I HATE baby bath tubs. We also bring travel size baby lotions and soaps in order to keep the babies from getting rashes from trying new soaps on vacation. 

Lastly, Take and Toss bowls and spoons are great for baby food. They are dishwasher safe and you don't feel bad if you leave them laying around or lose them. Plus, they are still gentle on babies little mouths! 

What else do you bring with you when you travel with baby? What have you found to be most helpful about traveling with kids?!

Leila: two months old!

I cannot believe my little peanut is already two months old, and growing like a weed. I am happy she is getting bigger, but also sad that this was my last full month off with her before my practicum starts and I will be gone 4 days a week (WAH!) I seriously am going to be a mess leaving her, and with Aiden starting Kindergarten, August is going to be a bundle of emotions!

July 29, 2015

Weight: 10 pounds, 15.2 ounces

Length: 22.5 inches

This little nugget is getting SO big! She switched from size one diapers to size two diapers. She is so long so she needs taller diapers and the size two work so much better! She is still in size 0-3 month clothing and they are starting to be "v-neck" because of how long she is, so she might be switching to 3 - 6 month jammies pretty soon! 

Some nicknames we have for her are: Beadies, Leil-y, and Leggy-bug (Luke's name for lady bug)

Heath issues: Her reflux is still an issue, but it is getting better little by little. She also got a little cold this month but is on the mend.

Sleep: She has slept through the night three times. She is pretty inconsistent with her sleeping habits. Sometimes she sleeps nine hours and sometimes she sleeps three. We prefer the nine. 

Diet: 100% nursing. She hates formula. 

Baby gear love: Still loves her swing, bouncy chair, and Rock-n-Play. She also has been sitting in the Bumbo here and there. 

Likes: loves being held, her swing, her little lovey-bunny, her wubba-nub, being bounced in her bouncy chair, smiling, cozy blankets

Dislikes: formula, being flat on her back, really loud noises

She is such a smiley and happy baby. Even when she wakes up far to early in the morning, she has the best smiles, so at least she makes it worth it! 

Some photos from this past month:

Those eyelashes! ;)

Happy two months, Leila! 

Things I am loving: third baby.

Every time you have a baby, you figure out new things that work and new things to buy that are helpful. I thought I would share what I am loving right now for Leila. These are things I never used with Aiden or Luke, but probably could not live without with this little bean!

1. Boon drying rack. This is awesome. I am able to put all of my pump parts and bottles on this!

2. Medela bags and connectors. These little connectors allow you to pump right into the bag and avoid washing extra bottles when you just poor them into a bag anyway!

3. Butt Paste. We had always been a fan of Triple Paste, but at 40% zinc oxide, this stuff is MUCH better than Triple Paste (14% zinc oxide). 

4. Honest nipple balm. This stuff is pure magic. Although it is $14 for a tiny little container, it is SO worth the money.

5. Summer Infant Video Monitor. My mom and dad bought this for us this time around and has truly been awesome. After Leila got her clean bill of health, she was sleeping in her own room. I feel so much better being able to see her. Also, babies often cry in their sleep, and seeing her means I don't have to get up and disrupt her in her room when she is actually still asleep. 

6. Honest soothing bottom wash. If you haven't already gotten the idea, poor Leila has a raw booty from pooping so much. This stuff is supposed to help with the rinse and wipe!

7. Pampers Sensitive Diapers. Pretty self-explanatory. 

8. Cool Gear water bottle. When you are nursing, you are THIRSTY! These water bottles from Target keep your water cold for the majority of the day with their little ice cube thing!

I think that is all for now! 

Leila Caroline: A birth story.

All of my babies have had very easy births and going into this "third baby" experience, all of my doctors had said third babies are unpredictable and do what they want. I should have believed them!

We got to the hospital on Thursday and got all checked in and ready for Cervadil, thinking I would get pitocin on Friday morning once my cervix was completely thin. I was already 3 cm dilated when we arrived and 60% effaced. Because I was having contractions on my own, I did not need the Cervadil (yay!). By 9:00 p.m. I was able to get the epidural and the Pitocin. At this point, I thought she would be there in less than 5 hours because that is how my labors were with both of my boys.

As the night went on, nothing was happening and contractions were actually dying down despite being on Pitocin. I stayed at 5 cm all night, and only moved to 6.5 cm by 6 a.m. I was connected to all of the machines, but the blood pressure machine was the death of me that night. It checks blood pressure every 15 minutes, and if something is not right, the alarm goes off and the nurse has to come reset the beeping. Well, my blood pressure drops every time I fall asleep. So every time I fell asleep, the beeping alarms went off. I asked if they could take the blood pressure machine off, but because I had an epidural, they couldn't. So, ZERO minutes of sleep Thursday night.

Friday morning my doctor made it in to break my water at 8:00 a.m. Around 10:15 I felt a lot of pressure and asked to be checked, and they said I was only 8 c.m. Ten minutes later I asked them to cheek again and they laughed at me, but did it regardless. Her head was VERY close to just being on the bed, that is how much she had descended. They told me to not laugh or she would come out, called my doctor over from his office (a few minutes away), and one push and she was here at 10:33 in the morning!

|sensored|

My husband was able to fully pull her out, which was a new experience this time around. She screamed for the whole hour they were drying her off. She HATES not wearing clothes (good girl!) and wanted to be super cozy and warm. After doing extended cord connection and skin-to-skin, the cord was cut and the nurses came in to check her about an hour after she was born. After her hour of screaming, she has been pretty calm ever since.

On Friday night, these poor souls had a baby that screamed ALL. NIGHT. LONG. It kept us up all night and after not sleeping one minute Thursday night, I was exhausted and irritated their child was keeping me up. Needless to say, I was so happy to be leaving on Saturday morning. But then, Leila's blood work came back saying she had high bilirubin levels and we couldn't leave. They had to cancel our discharge paperwork and we had to stay until at least 5 p.m. to do more blood work. Fortunately she was slightly below the high danger zone at 6 p.m. and they let us go home with the exception we would come back Sunday to have her blood drawn again. She HATES having her heel pricked (who wouldn't) and it has been done 5 times now and she is OVER it!

Trying to lower her bilirubin levels

On the way home

There was an adorable outfit picked out from Gymboree for her, but we took it off once we weren't going home to save it. Then, hours later when she "passed" her test, and we were allowed to go home, we didn't want to disrupt her because of her hatred for being changed and naked, so she wore a non-going-home outfit home. Oh well, such is life!

She has a tongue tie and more blood work this week, so we have a very busy week of doctors appointments and spending time with family! We have been so thankful to have my sister in law and brother in law watch our boys for us while we were in the hospital. As well as the friends and family that visited us while we were there. Then we have had family come over today and bring lunch and dinner, and my mom cleaned our house. What more could you ask for? Oh, the sweetest of sweet baby girls!

We are seriously over the moon in love with her! 

Meet Baby Leila!

We welcomed our sweet baby girl on Friday!

Leila Caroline

May 29, 2015 at 10:33 a.m.

8 lbs. 1.0 oz. 

More to come! 

38 weeks.

I have officially made it further with this baby than with Luke! I can't believe how close we are to meeting this little girl!

38 weeks

How far along: 38 weeks 

Total weight gain: 22 pounds (have not gained any weight in two weeks, but baby has!)

Baby is the size of a: Swiss chard

Maternity clothes: Yes

Stretch marks: Yes.. wah! I now have a skinny light pink one forming on my right side of my belly!

Sleep: Hit or miss. Mostly miss!

Best moment of this week: Seeing my little peanut on the ultrasound, again!

Movement: So so much!

Food cravings: Fruit and yogurt!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Just moving a lot. I have been trying to walk a lot hoping to jump start something, but the only thing that happens is contractions that haven't done anything (1 cm/50%)… and it makes me feel sick. 

Aches or pains: Back and gallbladder

Have you started to show yet: Yes 

Gender: GIRL!! 

Labor signs: I was actually in the hospital Wednesday evening because I had 7 hours of contractions 5 minutes apart. Apparently she is playing games because nothing came of it and I was sent home! 

Belly button in or out: Out

Wedding rings on or off: On

What are you dreaming about: More weird stuff! 

Carter's is also having a Memorial Day sale and I got a few cute things for the boys and the baby…

These cute rompers are only $5 each! I also picked out some cute outfits that I want the boys to wear for the newborn photos for baby LC! My lovely neighbor and friend will be taking their photos and I am SO excited to have them done! 

I think that is all for now! Hopefully my next update will be an introduction to LC! 

36 weeks.

Everything is moving along at a snails pace because I have one final paper left to write, and one meeting left to attend for the semester. I seriously feel like this is the never - ending semester, which I find myself saying nearly every semester! It hasn't helped that I am sick this week and that our weather has been nothing short of awful, dreary rain. Blah - hello cabin fever and crazy children!

36 weeks

How far along: 36 weeks 

Total weight gain: 22 pounds

Baby is the size of a: A large cantaloupe (7 lbs 3 oz - to be exact off of her ultrasound measurements)

Maternity clothes: Yes

Stretch marks: Not yet

Sleep: Awful. My awesome husband doesn't cover his mouth and coughed in my face and now I have an awful cold

Best moment of this week: Finishing classes, but I still have a paper and a meeting, but at least I do not have to sit through classes anymore, especially because my stomach was starting not to fit!

Movement: So so much!

Food cravings: Water, nothing else tastes that good with this cold

Anything making you queasy or sick: Bad breath

Aches or pains: Back and gallbladder

Have you started to show yet: Yes 

Gender: GIRL!! 

Labor signs: Some contractions in the early morning. 

Belly button in or out: out

Wedding rings on or off: On

What are you dreaming about: I do not think I am sleeping well enough to have dreams…

NST at 36 weeks

A real contraction at 36 weeks

Checklist: 

• Pre-register at the hospital 
• Pack my bag and buy a few more comfy clothes
• Wash the bouncy seat cover, the Rock-N-Play cover, and the swing cover
• Make sure my Medela pump still works 
• Buy everything on my registry 
• Stock up on after baby supplies
• Buy a lamp for the nursery 
• Do a project with my late grandmother's broaches for the nursery  This came out so cute, and I cannot wait to share! 
• Make nurses "thank-you" bags
• Make room darkening panels for the nursery (making today!)
• Buy gifts from baby LC to the boys
• Final load of laundry for baby LC (today)

Puckered face

Adorable new outfit

I think that is all for this week! I cannot believe we have less than four short weeks left! I also get my new baby bows in on Monday, so excited! 

Postpartum survival.

I thought I would throw together a list of things that are extremely useful for surviving the first six weeks after having a baby! I always make sure these are all stocked up in our home prior to going into labor so I have them and do not have to make any last minute trips (often late at night) to the store!

• Post natal vitamins: It is helpful to continue to take your vitamins after having your baby. It will help with your hair (to not fall out) and with your milk supply
• A big water bottle: You will be SO thirsty!
• Lansinoh nursing cooler/warmer: this will help with engorgement or soreness
• Lansinoh soothing pads: You can put these in the refrigerator and they are so so amazing!
• Gas drops: These are for babe, they get gassy and it hurts them
• Chamomile tea: It is calming for moms and we even gave Luke a tiny bit to calm him down when he was fussy (ask your doctor first though, I am not a doctor!)
• Boppy: When the babies are so tiny, this helps prop them up for nursing!
• Pads and Tucks: this will help mom heal faster
• Olive oil: I SWEAR by this stuff for nursing moms, it is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and you can put it on before and after nursing sessions to help with the pain and avoid mastitis
• A breast pump: invest in a good one, I promise it is worth it
• Lavender essential oil: diffuse in your house for help with sleep and calmness

Everything else I think the hospital will give you! Anything else I am forgetting? What did you all use that were considered your "life - savers?"

35 weeks.

I cannot believe how fast this pregnancy has FLOWN by. I feel like it was just September yesterday. I don't know if I ever shared this story, but I kind of thought I was pregnant before saying anything to my husband. My best friend was in town from California so we went and bought literally ten tests. All of the digital tests came back negative, but the good ol' fashioned tests showed the FAINTEST line ever. Like ever. We were just hanging out with her mom and dad and her mom was all "congratulations!" and her dad thought we were all lunatics. Literally, he thought we were crazy and he saw absolutely nothing on the stick.

Once we sort of determined that it probably was positive, Heather and I headed to Walmart to find some gender neutral baby shoes (which are extremely difficult to find)…. But ended up picking up some little red shoes and a gift bag. I came home (so excited) and told Berto I had a present for him. And, I secretly video taped the whole thing. It was adorable. Then I told him I was pretty sure, but not yet 100% sure!

The "barely" positive

And here we are, 30 ish weeks later! Shout out to Doug, the women were right… again! :) I had my weekly NST and ultrasound and everything was perfect… which makes me SO happy to hear. She is measuring two weeks ahead again. The ultrasound tech literally said "So much for PAPP-A!" That was really relieving to hear. She also asked how big the boys were, if the boys had big heads (yes - 13.5cm each), and said that this baby may be the biggest one yet! 

35 weeks

How far along: 35 weeks 

Total weight gain: 21 pounds (ish)

Baby is the size of a: A canary melon (what is this?!)

Maternity clothes: Yes

Stretch marks: Not yet

Sleep: A little bit better. I eliminated a few more things from my diet which has helped my gallbladder pain a little bit more. I am still sleeping with a heating pad rolled up to help with the pain (I miss you, ibuprofen). 

Best moment of this week: I was always somewhat hesitant to believe hat babies truly knew their own mothers voice. While I was getting my NST I was proven wrong. Her heartbeat is usually around 130s-140s while I am just laying down in the chair. As soon as the lady came in to ask if I was comfortable, and I responded, her heart rate jumped up to 158 and stayed high while I spoke. It was really cute! 

Movement: So so much!

Food cravings: Powdered doughnuts, still. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: No

Aches or pains: A little bit of everything. 

Have you started to show yet: Yes 

Gender: GIRL!! 

Labor signs: Nightly STRONG braxton hicks. Some contractions in the early morning. 

Belly button in or out: out.

Wedding rings on or off: On

What are you dreaming about: I cannot really remember anything crazy from this week.  

I did not check off anything on my to-do list this week. I did, however, measure for the room-darkening shades. I need another yard to finish her little window in her room. I also received my free Medela pump through my insurance company (thanks ACA - or some of you may call it "Obamacare")! I never had the option to get a free pump with the other boys, so I certainly took advantage of this while I could. So now I have two Medela pumps, just in case one breaks. I ordered it through www.edgepark.com, and it was SUPER easy. I am also overwhelmed looking at all of the incredible bow options on Etsy. I love all of them and wish I could order every single one! I did buy one for the fourth of July, just not off of an Etsy website… 

I also started working on a little project for the family room this week…. I still need to get some things, but I found some pictures from our family vacations that are going to be a part of this little project. I used Photoshop to lighten them, and you will see why once I get the wheels rolling on this project!

San Jose Del Cabo

Long Beach, California

Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica, California

Well, I think that is all for next week. I am SO SO SO happy to be done with the semester after this week, ah! 

Pretty in Pink Nursery

So I finally got around to taking some pictures of my sweet girl's nursery. There are a few things that still need to be done - and once I get her newborn photos, I will put one above her baskets!

Here was my inspiration board:

But alas….

This was such an incredibly fun project for me after decorating boys rooms for the past five years! I hope she enjoys it as much as I enjoyed decorating it! 

Sources

Paint Color: BM Wild Aster matched to Valspar in eggshell

Crib: Garage Sale find and I painted it Ultra White by Valspar

Rocking Chair: Hand-me-down from Luke, garage sale find originally

Dresser: Garage Sale Painted in Annie Sloan Pure White, three coats

Dresser Hardware: Hobby Lobby

Blinds: Overstock

Gold pillow and striped pillow: Target

Pouf: Target

Crib Skirt: Target

Bumper: Restoration Hardware Child and Baby Outlet

Crib sheet: Pottery Barn Kids

Alpaca: Gifted from my mom

Bunny slippers and bunny: Pottery Barn Kids

Pink pom-pom blanket: Pottery Barn Kids

Bird blanket: Dwell Studio

Floral prints: Rifle Paper Co. 

Gold frames: IKEA

White Pillow: IKEA

Gold end table: Target

White curtains: Target and IKEA with sewn on poms from Joann's

Lighting: IKEA

Sunburst Mirror: Home Depot

Gold dots: Etsy

Bow holder: hand crafted by me from supplied from Joann's and broaches from my grandmother

Baskets: World Market