Wonder

 Seriously, drop what you're doing right now and buy this book, Wonder. 

Go...I'll wait.............  You're a genius for taking my advice. 

I love reading and I'm a big 'reader' but not many books literally change my life. It's been years ..... ( since the Poisonwood Bible to be exact, about 6 years ago).... that I felt a book really changed me. Wonder hit the spot and came at the PERFECT time.

As I glide through motherhood (like how I made that sound relaxing & seamless? :) I find myself pondering questions....trying to draw conclusions to make me a better parent...trying to remedy 'baggage' I may be holding on to that could damage the way Isla views the world or deals with tough issues...Questions like: 

How do you raise a self confident girl? 

How do I protect her and let her discover the world (and all its risks) as well?

How do I teach her decency and kindness?

Since reading Wonder that last question is one I have thought a lot about. I discussed it with my book club of fabulous ladies (good pick L!), pondered it with other Moms of little girls and with my Hubby. I believe we're all born decent and kind but as we move into society and muddle through lessons in friendship and relationships we can become jaded by our negative experiences. It requires experience  to deal with negative situations with grace, decency and kindness and when you hurt someone or know you were wrong, it takes strength to look back and own your mistakes but desire to be better next time. These are lessons I hope to help Isla work through as she grows. 

The beginning chapters of this book are told by a child, Auggie who has an altered appearance due to a birth defect. The following chapters are in the voice of his Sister, Sister's Friend and his Best Friend. The book explores his experiences in school with friends and other kids' parents, as well as his own parents struggle to immerse him in public experiences (including school) while still protecting him. The deeper theme in the book is one that I think we all need to remind ourselves of : 

Be Kind. Someone else may be struggling just as you are. 

Everyone's busy and sees their own problems but many of us forget that others are struggling with their own issues that are just as important to them as yours are to you. 

At one point, I was holding Isla in our rocker and reading when I put the book down and realized this isn't just about Auggie's struggle with his appearance and the way kids treat him, this is also about the struggles of his Sister, his Parents and his Best Friend. I held her close and cryed beautiful happy tears through the last two chapters....it was a perfect cry, like the one you get at the end of Mr. Holland's Opus (Tell me you've seen that movie....seriously go watch it, go...I'll wait.)

It was so fitting that after reading this book I was reading through facebook and saw a girl I knew from high school post a rant about how she was dealing with medical issues and some of the people she was the closest to werent' there for her when she was going through it. Many people jumped on the bandwagon and filled the responses with rants of their own. Gotta love mob mentality. Her Mom went on and said, "Honey, don't be too quick to judge. You never know what others may be struggling with as well. It doesn't mean they don't care about you, they just may not know how to help you or talk to you. Reach out to them if you need them. I love you." Proves once again, Mom's know best! :)

In the wake of the bombings in Boston I thought of a quote from this book from Auggie's Mom, "There are always going to be jerks in the world, Auggie. But I really believe, and Daddy really believes that there are more good people on this Earth than bad people, and the good people watch out for each other and take care of each other..."

Isn't that the truth. 

xoxo-S 

Flying with Baby

As B and I ponder another trip to Miami this Fall I have to start thinking about air travel with a little one. I shudder at the thought as many of you mamas out there do as well. We already know we are flying to Hawaii for my dear friend & future sister-in-law, Erin and Bro-in-law, Devin's wedding next April so I figured Miami would be a good test run! I hear it's better when they're little....we'll see if that proves correct.

In the meantime, two of my fabulous girlfriends agreed to guest blog for me on travelling with their little ones. Ironically both were Nannies and have lots of kiddo experience! Super Useful info!

Thanks ladies-
love.you.longtime

____________________________________

Lacie

My dear friend, L is the blogger behind the wheel at Leather & Lace. She is fabulously hilarious and forever honest. Read it. love it. love her. She was kind enough to share her experiences on flying short trips (Seattle to LA) with her cutie-patootie, Gemma. 

My little girl Gemma is 9 months old and has been on 8 round trip plane flights. Nearly one plane ride for every month she's been alive. WTF is wrong with us that we would fly so often with a baby? Well, my Husband's family lives in L.A. and we like to go visit. And no, Gemcake isn't the picture of a wonderfully behaved mellow child. She's a very loud, curious and busy baby who refuses naps in the air and always takes a big smelly poo in her diaper as soon as the seatbelt sign comes on. My sanity is retained only by the knowledge that it's only a 2.5 hour flight from Seattle to Los Angeles (with the promise of In-n-out). For these short trips, my husband and I have a few favorite tricks. Maybe some could work for you and your little one!

1. With a little baby do not bother bringing the stroller. We are fortunate enough that Grandma and Grandpa have a carseat for little G so we don't have to haul it with us, but lugging a stroller AND carseat around?! Um no. I wear Gemma in a carrier (first the Baby K'tan and now the Ergobaby) around the airport, allowing me to to hands-free. PLUS you don't have to take the baby out while going through security, so if she falls asleep, she can stay asleep!

2. Put the baby in footed pajamas. Easy, comfortable and ohmygod SO NICE not to have to deal with socks while on the go.

3. Leave all the shit behind. Most likely you'll be out and about while traveling, so there is no need to bring the full set of blocks, all 8 blankets and 40 stuffed animals. Pack only baby's favorites, plus one new toy she hasn't seen before. Bring out said toy at the first sign of irritability.

4. I know babies aren't supposed to watch TV....but on a plane all the rules go out the window.
Sesame Street podcasts. They're free.
Download them on your iPad and shove a gin and tonic and a bag of peanuts down the hatch while she watches.

5. Be nice to the people around you. And take comfort in the knowledge that either they've been in your shoes, or eventually will be.

6. When booking the flight, select seats A and C for you and your partner. Most single riders won't choose a middle seat, so many times the B will stay empty and baby gets a seat all to herself!

7. The barf bag makes a great puppet

8. Put a dab of Vaseline under baby's nostrils to prevent any germs from sneaking their way near her. The gooey texture will quite literally catch the germs before they enter her body.

9. Just....listen to me and pack more diapers in your carry-on than you think you'll need.

10. When all else fails, give the baby a cookie. A cookie always wins.

HAPPY FLYING!

Gem baby :) 

________________________________________

Ashli

My BFF, Ashli flew cross country from Miami to Seattle when I delivered Isla with her 1 year only, Grace. Lots of good info for long flights! (Thanks again for that sis :) 

The idea of sitting in a tin box with an 11 month old vocal and mobile baby along with 100+ strangers was a bit intimidating, but making the trip was a no brainer. We were after all going to welcome our sweet "cousin/niece" to the world. With tickets booked, I started gathering tips from friends and recalling some of the tricks I used as a Nanny. 

Some of the tips I used: 

1. Bring a lot of snacks....like enough to feed you and the baby for 2 days. No one likes to be hungry and a situation seems a lot more stressful when you are. 

2. Bring toys, new ones that are interesting and exciting. I put some of Grace's Christmas gifts aside and introduced them to her on the plane. This was genius and worked perfectly. I also got a kid case for our iPad. Grace isn't into watching TV but I thought worse case it could distract her for a bit. We didn't use it but glad to have it for the future. 

3. Bring extra clothes for you and baby. You don't want to be stuck in a puke (or worse) covered outfit, smelling wonderful in the before mentioned tin box. 

4. Bring only what you need (i.e.: leave the grown up entertainment at home). Those days of flipping the pages to pass the time are gone (I had enough time for 1/4 of People magazine. I was also traveling alone and had to carry everything myself). 

Side Note: Most airlines check car seats for free at the check-in counter and most know you can gate check your stroller. That is if you don't leave it sitting in the carport by mistake. Not a good start to our trip but I just laughed it off and figured at least I'd get an upper body workout in that day. 

5. If your little one is mobile, let them run/crawl around as much as possible before boarding the plane. 

I also put a lot of thought into the flights I booked. I chose a layover instead of a non-stop. Part of that was because I used miles but I also had a feeling that a break to move about freely might be welcomed. This worked perfectly for us. However, if there was a delay it could be disastrous. I also booked red eye trips. This way Grace was tired and ready to sleep. It also worked. She slept 80% of our flying time. I also chose window seats (even though I love the aisle). Grace could look out the window and i could lean against it when she slept. 

Part of it comes down to your energy (I know, a bit new agey but true). I was relaxed and calm and luckily for me Grace usually is too. I also brought with me 30 pairs of ear plugs as an insurance policy (props to the hubby on that suggestion). I figured people may not outwardly loathe my daughter and I if I could at least offer them some reprieve. I didn't need to break them out but you better believe I will have them with me every time I fly! 

My Sweet Pea Niece, Grace :) 

Happy Travels everyone! 

xo-S 

The Art of Babywearing

Ah yes, babywearing....which brings me to the question: "Does anyone besides me think "babywearing" sounds weird?" When I told a girlfriend, "I'm determined to wear my baby!" last week in a mission statement of sorts I felt a little weird about it, gotta admit. 

Regardless, I am determined to at least give babywearing a solid 'go.' Of all the things to learn when veering around the child raising curve I never expected babywearing to send me into a tailspin. Along with breastfeeding (which is a whole different blog in itself....I still don't know where to start on that one) I wasn't ready for the challenges of "wearing" Isla. I expected her to want to "kangaroo up"... just slide right in to the wrap and away we'd go. Unfortunately, my Little One hated having her arms tucked in and her legs tucked up under her in the newborn pose. It was literally out.of.the.question. 

I originally had the Ktan but it didn't work for me. The sizing just wasn't right....I was right between the small and medium and just couldn't get it to fit right. That being said, I have a girlfriend who adores the Ktan so I know it can work wonders. I purchased the Moby. Yes, the yards of fabric scared the daylights out of me (can you tell I'm a Mom, who else says "daylights?") I mean, why do you need that much fabric? For the love! I tried it several times in the newborn pose and as noted above Isla hated it. She screamed and cryed and arched her back. It was not pretty. So we stuck with the stroller. 

After three months of strolling everywhere- including the dog park I decided it was time to get serious with babywearing and if the Moby didn't work for Isla to purchase something that did. 

This is one of the ONLY 2 times I got the Moby to work for me in the beginning. Isla was sound asleep and woke up pissed! Newborn position was not for her! 

Last week I decided one of my Spring Goals was to try to do one of our two walks a day in the Moby to see if Isla liked it. I also started to do the Mom-facing position with her legs out. They say you can do this around 4 months or when their neck is stable. Isla's neck is stable for the most part. She still bobs a bit but falls asleep in this carry so I tuck both sides around and usually put my hand behind her head to provide additional support. I did my safety checks: hips are 'even', face is within kissing distance and chin is not in to her chest. Everything checked out!

What I've found out over the past two week is that this thing takes practice. Like A LOT of practice and patience! At one point Isla was screaming in her bunny chair, I had locked Stella (the dog) out of the bathroom purely because she was looking at me like I was a failure and I was almost in tears trying to put on the Moby. After two tries I finally got it on secure enough - Isla was snug as a bug and by the time I got the dog all leashed up, Isla was asleep- can you believe it? I couldn't either!

Check us out---we're becoming pros :)

This is us today at the dog park - MOBY UP FRIENDS! I'm still a beginner but we're on the road to babywearing success! This will come in so handy this summer when we're travelling or at our weekly dog park dates with Miss Stella the Terrier. 

I'll follow up with more babywearing updates as time goes by. What's your favorite carrier? 

Hope everyone had a nice weekend!

Xo-S 

3.months

My little peanut is 3.months today. Time flies when you're having fun! :) 

Love her blue steel pose. 

Happy 3.months.Isla-baby. 

xoxox

Mommy 

Damaged Goods

Didn't think I was gonna do it...but I'm going there.

I have been trying to ignore all this Kim Kardashian being 'too fat' business but it's everywhere and it's making me crazy. Here's the deal.....Yes, this dress...

 ...was an unfortunate choice. It makes every sarcastic bone in my body ache to scream criticisms and cruel jokes. Apparently I wasn't the only one when this popped up on FB:

Confession: I laughed (Alot. a shameful amount). I did.
Then I felt guilty because .............SHE'S PREGNANT! GIVE A GIRL A BREAK!

This is also a case of how unforgiving a piece of clothing and a Photographer can be.....this is the other view...and she looks great- curse that white piece that looks like a nursing cover. Maybe she's practicing early?

Bottom line on this whole issue:

She's PREGNANT-- IE: GROWING A HUMAN-LEAVE HER ALONE.

I think the media calling her "fat" has brought up a hot-button issue for a lot of women out there. I'm going to completely generalize here, but I think that because our society puts such focus on beauty and appearance many women feel they are "damaged" after having a baby, whether that's from stretch marks, cellulite or (yes, I'm going there)....stretching ... down there, ahem. It's absolutely tragic and it sets up our daughters for the same unfair pressure. Women put pressure on themselves to lose the weight quickly because if a Victoria Secret model can drop 30 lbs in 2 weeks post partum, why can't you? Why else would it make news when a celebrity appears post-partum in yoga pants with spit up in her hair and it makes the cover of US Weekly. Oh you thought she looked like she just walked off the cat walk and not the plank? She is measuring sleep in minutes and struggling with post-partum hormones. Celebrities are women, just like you and me. I can't imagine being pregnant in the public eye (it's amazing Kate Middleton is doing it so well!) My sympathies to those ladies- it's hard enough as it is.

And to all those ladies who are struggling with feeling damaged by their pregnancies.... a little message for you:

Truth.

xoxo.
S

Living with Terrorism

As I heard a guest on the Today show this morning talk about precautions parents can take to protect their children from terrorism: Don't stand next to a garbage can at a large event, Don't hang near the bathroom, Don't stand near anything that could potentially harm you as shrapnel if a bomb went off...all I could think was....

"Is this really the point we're at?"

Are we supposed to live in a defensive state of fear? Is it responsible parenting to pass that fear on to our children? Am I better parent if I take these precautions?

For some parents I'm sure the advice was helpful but I took it as more of a reminder to BE AWARE.
Take more notice, be more present, watch my surroundings and my children better.

I have no plan to avoid the restrooms or survey the garbage but if I see a bag unattended or feel uncomfortable I will act on my instinct by telling someone or moving away. I can understand taking moderate precautions for general safety at a large event but always having the threat of terrorism in the back on your mind impedes your ability to live your life.

As parents we are preparing our children for the world. We live in an age where we have to talk to them about tragedies like the one that happened in Boston. We have to explain "hate" and grapple with explanations of why these things happen when we haven't processed them ourselves. Fortunately Isla isn't old enough to ask questions so I didn't have to have the conversation but I know I would have struggled for the words. It's hard to know what to say. I believe in finding the correct balance of truth to prepare and protect them and compassion to comfort them.

This is such a complex subject ..... and I think until these things happen we fail to think about what to tell kids or how to deal with questions or precautions. It is tragically unfortunate that we have to think of these things at all and yet, irresponsible if we don't. I am not looking forward to the day when Isla takes notice and asks heartbreaking questions in her beautiful innocence. For today, I seek to prepare her for the world ahead, protect her when necessary and find beauty in the overwhelming 'good' that is out there in the world.

Today, this post is dedicated to beautiful, Martin Richard who died at the Boston Marathon. In his words.... "No more hurting people. Peace"

xo-S

Prenatal Yoga

I just started postnatal yoga on Saturday. I forgot how much I missed yoga and my wonderful teacher, Tanvir. When I was pregnant I always talked about doing yoga to Brandon. We eventually made a bet over whether I would actually start it or not. I of course won when I said I would and I did. Boom!

 I was so glad I did prenatal yoga through the last 6 weeks of my pregnancy. I should have started it earlier- hindsight's 20/20 :) Yoga not only kept me relaxed, feeling great and gave me a nice social experience with other prego Mamas, I was also doing a lot of research on my natural labor plan and it helped me train my breathing and figure out what coping techniques worked for me and what didn't. I am a big visualization and repetition person. I realized this in class while counting my breath. I know some may see this as not clearing my head and getting relaxed but for me that is relaxation. I also count when I clean...seems weird but it makes sense to me!

If you have a prenatal yoga class in your neighborhood seriously check it out! Even if you aren't planning a drug-free birth it can work wonders for you. I highly recommend postnatal yoga too.

Confession: Saturday I cryed on my walk to class.
This is true.
 Hubby was late to pick up Isla, I was worried about her going to the office with him, The dog was on my last nerve...you know, my typical life.....but when I arrived and got started I got right back into the groove and realized I REALLY needed to invest the time in myself. It makes me a better Mommy, wife and Dog-Mom :)

If you're in the Kirkland area check out Soul Ease. Tanvir is awesome--class is a workout without even really knowing it and so relaxing.

In Tanvir's words during restoration (the yummy, relaxing end of yoga), "Be so grateful for this wonderful, everlasting gift you've been given of being a Mother."

Namaste Friends :)
S

Public Service Annoucement

I posted this on my personal blog and it was a hit...so thought I'd repost. Thanks Isla for the clarification :) 

(just in case anyone was unclear)

xoxo- S (and Isla :)

ps- She's no longer cross-eyed. Glad she grew out of that! :)

Episode 1: Pea Patch

I freakin' hate my condo. 

There I said it. 

It's not exactly good news that we have to renew our lease for another year. 

Another year of condo living. 

BLUGGGHHH-OH! 

With all seriousness, as much as condo living has become a serious pain with a newborn, dog and the sudden realization that we need more space....I'm being a bit of a drama queen. The condo is in a great location next to parks to walk my dog, beaches (we're on the lake), a pretty & safe little downtown for strolling, a community pool and library within a block. It will be a good summer even though I'll be looking forward to moving in May. VERY EAGER. 

To make the year a little easier I'm working on several projects to keep myself condo-sane....one of them is getting more outdoor time for myself and Isla. I REALLY miss my deck & yard. We adopted a pea patch up the street so I've been working on our gardening plan. 

Here's to hoping I don't kill my garden as soon as I put it in the ground and that we get some fresh air &  enjoy our outdoor time along the way :) 

Our pea patch- Time to weed! So much work ahead.

The Sis and I went to Flower World for Veggie starts!

Isla helped by trying to shove her entire fist in her mouth. always entertaining and sad all at the same time.

Since we're still getting big rain I put the veggie starts in compost pots on my deck under a bit of cover. It'll be an easy transition to plant them in the garden when the rain starts moving out.

Isla was obviously exhausted from all the hard work.

To praying I have a "green thumb"

xo- S 

First Mama Moments

Oh yes, the first 'Mama Moment'- you know the one when you realize, 'why yes, this could be humiliating but it's totally explainable since I'm a Mom.' And it is usually fairly gross but whatever...you've witnessed your share of poops, spit up and birth fluid- nothing fazes you at this point.  Childless Singles may gawk and point but parents give you the 'nod'..... the 'harley wave' of all parental units. 

This folks....is mine. Feel free to share yours as well. I'm all ears :) 

----------------------------------------------

Isla had her first Doctor's appointment the Thursday after we came home. That was also my first day completely alone with her all day. Her appointment was in the morning so I woke up at my normal 6am to get everything in order and out the door by 8:40 for my 9:00am appointment. After showering, getting ready, taking Stells out, eating breakfast (ie: COFFEE!), feeding Isla and having her blow out 2 outfits- one right before stepping out the door (gahhh!),  I successfully strapped her in her car seat and headed to the car.....it was 9am. Yes, it took me 3 hours to get out the door! For the love! When we got to the Doctor 20 minutes late they had me undress her for getting her weight. She peed all over the blanket I brought and just for good measure got the nurse as well. This left me with no option but to put her in my sweater swaddled in my scarf. 

Right as I was adjusting that baby in my coat I looked down and said, "what the? what is that?"

Oh that.........

THAT IS BABY POOP!!!! I LEFT THE HOUSE WITH BABY POOP ON THE FRONT OF MY SWEATER. YELLOW BABY POO!

Two blowouts, spit-up, pee, a sweater with a green poo stain and I still considered it a gold star day.....at least I put on a bra and did my hair. win! win!

xoxo
me.

My First Week with Baby Must-Haves!

Hi Friends!

These were my must haves for my first week at home with Isla. Love-Love-Love all of these products!
What did you love? What will I need for baby #2?

1. My Little Snuggabunny chair

This chair is the one and only reason I have gotten to shower the last 3 months. I wasn't sure if I was going to get it since we live in a condo and floor space is at a premium around here but my BFF stated clearly that I NEEDED it :) and I'm ever so grateful I listened. Isla loves to sleep in it, listen to the music, watch the birds (which she now coos at) and loves the vibrating seat. I swear it keeps her asleep. In fact when it's running out of batteries it's a panic for new ones to keep her sleepy. Which brings us to its only drawback....there's no plug-in so you have to dig out the battery pack and put in new ones. I hate that all kid things have a screw- understand the safety part but it's annoying. Other than that- LOVE this chair and swear by it!

2. Tommee Tippee Nip Shields

Here's the deal with nip shields. Any Lactation Consultant will tell you not to use them because they'll create nipple confusion for baby. I totally get that, but for me...if they keep you going with breastfeeding when the going is REAL TOUGH in the beginning they're worth it. When your nip is cracked, bleeding or just plain sore using them once or twice isn't going to hurt your baby or confuse them. You will get desperate and run out to get a pair if you don't buy them beforehand so just do it. I used Close to Nature (at Target- BPA free) and the Medela ones- both work great. (and yes, they make your nips look weird for a bit- don't worry they go back to normal :)

3. Wubbanub

Isla LOVES her wubbanub. From the very beginning she would hold onto the giraffe toy to hold it in. Now that she's discovered her hands more she likes to suck on its legs and feel it between her fingers even though she uses less of the paci. VERY worth the $14. They comes in other animals too :)

4. Newborn Pajamas

Heres the deal with NB clothes. You only need an outfit or two- you're not going to be doing the full outfit that often (if ever) when they're super little. By the time you are going out more often they're close to being out of newborn size. My motto was- if I'm not getting of leggings and PJ pants I can't expect baby to be in a full outfit. I was definitely short on Newborn size PJ's. Stock up on those and you're golden! (PS- the one above is just a pic from amazon- I'm not suggesting to get that one :)

5. Newborn mitts

These are the Satsuma Organic Mitts from Amazon. They were recommended by my Mommy Friend, L and are super cozy for baby. You will need these in the beginning. Isla loved having her hands in her face and scratched herself a couple times when they were off. 

6. Boppy Lounger

Next to the bunny chair this was my favorite item for baby in the beginning. I LOVE this thing and I randomly picked it up on a whim. The writer of a blog I read got it for her son and recommended it. I already had the Boppy for breastfeeding and wasn't sure what I needed it for but decided to try it out. I used it for Isla to sleep on next to us on the couch when we were sitting or on the rug if I ran out of the room. I also use it in her co-sleeper at night. Now, I know...I know it says "NO SLEEP" all over it but I ran it by her Dr. and she said said as long we are co-sleeping and she's on her back, swaddled she would be fine. It's also at an incline which helps any indigestion. If you're going with it for sleeping talk to your Dr first but it did work wonders for us! 

7. Motherlove  & Medela Nip Cream

I LOVE Motherlove and Medela Nip creams. In the very beginning you'll want to put this on every time after nursing. I used both- the Motherlove for my "everyday" and the Medela when it was "hitting the fan" and I needed some serious lanolin treatment. Both work great. 

8. First Years white noise maker & Sleep Sheep

Isla is a white noise sleeper. She loves the water sound so we use the "rain" or "nature" sounds for her. The First Years noise maker plugs in and plays continuously. I use it next to the bed on my nightstand. I think it makes us sleep better too :) I'm sure you saw the Sleep Sheep in my Portland post. I just got this for travelling and we LOVE it. I use it whenever she goes into her carseat to stroll or go in the car. She hates her seat until we're moving- the noise helps calm her. The mobile one is also a really nice size.

9. Zen Swaddle

I realize you don't need to buy a swaddle because you can easily swaddle with a blanket but I wanted to give the Zen Swaddle a test try. It has a weighted center and sides to mimic the pressure of a parent holding baby. Don't worry it's not a lot of weight. You put baby in- fold up the middle and pull the flaps around to velcro. It's super simple for us and Isla sleeps well in it. She is using a swaddle about half the time now. She does wake herself up with her startle reflex still so it comes in super handy with that. She HATED being swaddled with hands in and would always wiggle one out so there is a hands free swaddle you can do with this blanket. These are SO nice to have at 2am or when you just need a super quick swaddle and don't have time to lay out a blanket. I know Halo also makes a popular one but I didn't give that a test run. 

10. Disposable Diapers + Wipes (even if you're doing cloth!) 

I did disposable diapers in the beginning for the meconium poos and I'm so glad I did. It's pretty messy. Have lots on hand- if you're doing cloth, the ones you don't use you can put in the diaper bag for travelling trips. 

Happy shopping & registering! 

xo- S 

with permission.

If I could tell my 'pre-baby self' something I would say, give yourself permission.....

Give yourself permission to do absolutely nothing...and I mean nothing...but care for your baby the first month. All Isla wanted the first four weeks were to be in our arms, laying on us, with us, smelling us. I naively thought I would be able to return emails, get errands done or accommodate guests. When it came down to it I quickly realized I wasn't able to. I struggled with letting it all go but looking back it was the smartest and best decision for me and my baby. That time with her was precious and is already gone. Even though she still loves to cuddle or sleep on B or my chest or in our arms, the majority of her day is now spent figuring out the world and even though I'm grateful for that, I do miss the tiny baby who wanted nothing more than for one of us to hold her. You will cherish these early memories.

Give yourself permission to yell at your husband without feeling like your marriage is falling apart. The moment that feels like your world and your relationship are falling apart will come- most likely at 3am when the baby's screaming and you have tried everything, EVERYTHING to get her to sleep....you are the most sleep deprived you have ever been and you are convinced without a doubt that having children may have ruined your marriage, your relationship as you know it....

Just breathe deep, rock your sweet baby and know it will be ok.
Your marriage will be stronger, your love will be deeper and you will feel the sweetest kind of joy in knowing you're a family of three.

Give yourself permission to feel guilt. Guilt for hating the dog because she feels like a burden. It's ok, you will love her again shortly. Guilt for not cleaning your house. It doesn't matter right now (you have a lifetime to clean the kitchen). Guilt for wanting time alone: with your husband and by yourself. Guilt for not bringing in money when you know you're doing the hardest job there is.

Just plain GUILT.
Feel it and give yourself the permission to Let-It-Go.

Give yourself permission to have "Time." Time to let your body heal and go back to what it was. Don't stress about those pre-baby jeans even though they stare you in the face every morning. You just created a human--those jeans will fit again when the time is right. Time with your spouse alone. Time by yourself alone. Time to talk to on the phone with your girlfriends because you know they keep you sane. Time to go on one more walk because you know it may buy you an extra hour of sleep even if dinner's an hour late. (Lets be honest, it's a miracle you're cooking).

Most importantly, give yourself permission to slow down and be mindful.
Everyone is busy- busier and doing more important things than everyone else....allow yourself to recognize that these moments are pivotal, momentous, life altering, beautiful .... and fleeting.

Live them with joy and mind fullness.


Happy Weekend Everyone.

xoxo
S

Cloth Diapering

Yep. I am that girl. I live in Seattle, own Danskos, eat granola, believe in baby-wearing (I just wish my baby did too), had a natural birth, advocate breastfeeding and yes, I cloth diaper. 

I am the stereotype. 

But seriously, I love cloth diapering. Stop rolling your eyes- it's not that hard! Out of all the things baby related that I had to adjust to cloth diapering was not a big adjustment (ie: inconvenience) for me. I will fully disclose that I most likely wouldn't have cloth diapered at first if it weren't for the invaluable help of my BFF,Ash who basically told me what to buy and how to do it without losing my mind. That being said, my Mom used cloth diapers with all three of us and they were the old school ones with metal pins and cloth that folded in, so I may have found my way to cloth diapers regardless. Now they're super snazzy and easy. seriously so easy. 

I know some of you are shaking your head going, "sister, there is no way".... but here's the deal: The "all-in-ones" (which I'll refer to as AIO's) make it literally seamless. For the "doesn't the poop gross you out?" argument the answer is No. It just doesn't. When they're little they barely poo. Although I will admit a formula poo is a totally different ball game than a watery breastmilk poo but even then they're so easy to clean. 

I was so sad in my baby class when they introduced cloth with the hard to fold original cloth diaper my mom had in the 80's when I was a kid and the snapeez. Seriously people? No first time Mom is going to cloth diaper after seeing that. They need to put my AIO's up there so parents know that it can be easy! 

I wanted to cloth diaper initially to stretch our pennies. Anything I can do to save money and stay home longer is better for everyone in the long run. Disposable diapers on average cost $0.28 and roughly in a year you'd spend $2862.72--I spent $440.95 for all newborn and regular size that will grow with Isla up to 35lbs. I will probably buy another 12-16 diapers so total I will end up spending $661.00 ONE TIME. This for me was more than enough reason to use cloth. I am also proud of how we're helping the environment and reducing waste. Feels good!

This is how I do cloth....I'll update you how it goes as Isla grows! 

These are Miss Isla's pretty little newborn diapers. I use Bum Genius AIO newborn diapers and have 20 which last me about 3 days. I will use the Bumgenius FreeTime diapers that will grow with Isla. They work from 8-35lbs although they're bulky at the smaller weights. I probably won't put her in them until we hit the 3 month mark.They are a little low in the front to accommodate the cord before it's fallen off and they work great. I have had some leaking issues recently since they go up to 12lbs and Isla is almost there but I ordered the inserts for $10 and they should get me another month or so until Isla can fill out the bigger AIO size. I will say that the first week or so we used disposable for the meconium poos. I was scared the meconium would ruin my diapers. Thankfully it was an easy transition into cloth. They say to do 5-7 washes initially to get them ready for baby but I did 1 wash and they were fine. I'll go into washing details below. 

I use the Diaper Champ from Target. It's basically just a garbage that keeps in the smell really well and that handle opens the little hole for you to put the diaper in. This is great for one handed changes- which is all the time pretty much. The other perk is that this can uses any bag so you don't need to buy the specific bag for the can- money waster!

I also use Osocozy flannel wipes in the Prince Lionheart Wipe Warmer. I know what you're thinking, wipe warmer, really S?!! I thought the same thing .... but if you're going to do flannel wipes it's the way to go. I just fold them in half and add a tall cup of water so they can soak and heat up real nicely. I have about 20 or 25 and they last me at least 3 days- sometimes more. I usually have a pack of disposable wipes by the wipe warmer also just in case a bigger job comes up but normally I use flannel and throw the disposable in the diaper bag when I need them.

Yep, full can- time to wash!

I literally take this garbage to the washer and throw the diapers and wipes in exactly like this. I do a rinse cycle (20 mins) then I put in the Rockin' Green Detergent (see below) and do a sanitary cycle (about 2 hours depending on the load) on my washer. I have done A LOT of loads and my washing machine doesn't stink at all. The sanitary cycle works wonders! I know people freak out about throwing diapers in the same washer that washes your clothes but it's not like you're washing them in the same load or there are turds floating around in there. The cycle does a really good job of not cross contaminating anything. There's really no difference in throwing a blanket or something your dog or cat peed on in the washer and a diaper. When Isla gets older I plan to use the Bumgenius Diaper Sprayer but for now I don't need it.

This stuff is great and they offer different types for the type of water you have (ie: Soft Rock= Soft water, Hard Rock= hard water and Classic rock= Normal)

If you follow GreenCupboards you would know they had their Rockin' Green 50% off last week- sale of the week! Ash & I stocked up!!! Such a good deal :) 

After washing I hang the diapers on a drying rack in my laundry room. You can also hang on a clothes line if you're blessed with sunshine! (not so much in Seattle this time of year). They take a bit to dry so I usually wash at night and hang them before bed. I do a 'air fluff' cycle on them before folding them and putting into Isla's dresser. In a pinch you can dry them but the velcro does get stuck together so they can be hard to get apart. 

Also a note that the regular size with the double insert can take quite a while to dry hanging or in the dryer so giving more time for those is smart. The regular size come in snaps or velcro. I went with velcro because the snaps can be confusing. That being said you do need to replace the velcro when it starts to wear down. 

Normally I don't dry my wipes- I just yank them from the wash, fold and put water on them damp in the wipe warmer. This time, they had to be photographed so they got dryed and folded :)

This is a regular size AIO Bumgenius Diaper. This one has snaps and goes from 8-35 lbs. I buy my diapers from Cottonbabies.com. The going price is normally $12.95 and you can get a bargain if you buy them in bulk. I bought the regular size pre-Isla and the newborn size after she was born. Delivery was fast and I was able to use them by the 2nd week. They do go on sale and I was able to get the pink newborn size below for $9.95 instead of $12.95. Every bit counts!

This is the little newborn size AIO bumgenius Diaper. This size goes up to 12lbs although you can add inserts to stretch them. The inserts are a little long for the newborn size but they work for a short time.

I hope this post helps someone out there and maybe even inspire someone to try out cloth diapering. More follow up posts to come!

xo- S

#3 Genius Momvice

Take inventory of your diaper bag and restock as soon as you get home and are unpacking your other bags.

I learned this the hard way when I had to ask the nurse for a plastic bag at the Dr. because they don't allow you to throw diapers in their garbage and at Target today when little Miss decided to blow through her outfit- seriously HUGE explosion- and I didn't have a bag so I had to use her blanket to gob up her clothes, socks and my coat. awesome. Lesson.Learned.

Easter GrateFULLness.

 Hi Friends!

Today was the day I would have gone back to work. All day, I thought about how hard it would be for me to hand off my girl to someone else while I went into the office. You would have heard a pathetic tantrum from Kirkland if I was headed back. I know I would miss so much with her. She literally changes every hour. I know so many parents who both work outside the home and have amazing caregivers. Many of my girlfriends know they need to work outside the home for their own sanity- it's just who they are. I didn't understand that prior to having Isla but I completely do now. This "staying at home" thing is the most emotionally exhausting, terrifying, beautiful, gratifying thing I've ever done. It's so odd to know a job is invaluably important when you aren't complimented on your progress everyday- there are no deadlines to check off or meetings to update status....you just hope you're doing it right. You pray the milestones come when they "should" and that you haven't messed anything up too bad that day :)

 I am so very grateful to B for going to work everyday for us while I care for our little lady. It's the job I always knew I could and would do....I just didn't know it would be what it is. The hardest- best kind of work. :)

I hope everyone had a lovely Easter weekend :) 

xo- S