Baby Product Favorites

Registering for everything you (think!) you need for your first baby can be incredibly overwhelming. For some odd reason, I guess I imagined it would be just as fun as registering for my wedding, and while it was equally exciting, it was certainly a different experience. When we started that process this time last year, I felt like there was so much we needed and I wasn't sure where to even start. 

To help matters, it seemed like the more opinons I received, the more blurry it became, on which brand was actually the best, for everything. Also, with your first baby comes the pressure of being sure to choose all the "right" big stuff, because naturally they are your investment pieces, and hopefully will last you through all your future babies.

Ultimately, I realized it came down to personal preference, listened to the advice of a few friends whose mommy style I wanted to emulate, and made a list. Then after I made the list, I ran it by trusted girlfriends and my own Mama and they helped me consolidate even more. Here's the thing, babies really don't need much, in fact, much less than we allow ourselves to believe, but listed below are a few of my tried and true favorites thus far:

1. Dock-a-tot
This was and still is certainly a hot baby item, and I was hesitant as to whether or not it would be worth it, but we have truly loved it! We began using it from day 1 for those newborn naps around the house, a traveling baby bed, and transitioning to the crib at 8 weeks. Love!

2. Halo miracle swaddle and sleep sack
Honestly, this is the item that I will gift to every single pregnant girlfriend from here on out. Thankfully we registered for it after hearing great reviews and all it took was the first rough night at home for me to whip it out, wrap her up and get some rest. We used it every nap and night for months and our baby absolutely loved being swaddled. Even after transitioning out of the swaddle, we moved right into the sleep sack and its been a lifesaver ever since.

3. Boppy newborn lounger pillow
This item is still on current rotation in our home. We love how we can safely place the baby on it to sleep in the beginning and play now. It's truly the perfect spot, and I love how it goes right in the washer and dryer. A mommy must have!

4. Ubbi diaper pail
This was at the top of my wanted listed when registering and it certainly hasn't disappointed. It's rated best on the market for a reason, and it sure stifles any smell. It's so compact that we only have to take out the bags about every 10 days. So worth it.

5. 4 Moms Mamaroo
This was another item that I really wanted from the start and we have loved it from day 1. I adore how sleek it is, and how it blends right into our home decor, without being such an eye sore like most baby products are. It's also much smaller than the average baby swing, which allows us to keep it tucked away in the living room. We can even control it from our phones and it always makes baby happy.

6. Britax car seat/travel system & BOB stroller 
Yes, this is actually 3 different items but I group all three in my head. Choosing your car seat and stroller are the most important things you have to pick out, and I have been so pleased with ours! In fact, when I asked my husband what his favorite baby product was he said without a doubt our stroller situation. Our car seat clicks right into our light weight britax stroller, that I keep in the car for those in and out trips. However, because of where we live, we knew we wanted a very durable stroller as well for our neighborhood, the loop, beach, etc and our car seat clicks right into our BOB as well. Absolutely love the comfort push of the BOB, not to mention the cup holder situation for morning coffee. 

7. Kissy Kissy clothing 
This is 100% personal preference but I just love babies in all things kissy kissy. Not only are they precious, but you truly can't beat the wash and wear over time and how amazingly soft they stay. Well worth the investment in my opinion. 

8. DOHM and ROHM sound machine
I am a big advocate of a sound machine and we love using the DOHM in the nursery, and the ROHM for when you are on the "roam" and out and about. Game changer. 

9. IKEA high chair 
Long before we started solids I knew we needed this high chair. It's incredibly economical, easy to assemble and actually cute. My favorite feature is without a doubt, the fact that its naked so you can easily wipe the entire thing down without the worry of bits of food being trapped. 

10. Pottery Barn Leather Diaper Tote 
The day we came home with baby was the day I put my purse away, and didn't pull it back out until my 6 week postpartum check up. Real talk. When out and about with baby, you already have enough to lug around, why add one more bag? When shopping for our diaper bag, I looked for something that I actually liked and would double as a purse. This bag is the perfect size and has tons of pockets, wipes easily, comes with changing pad and your initials embossed in gold. It's also at a great price point, so you don't worry about putting it on the ground or it getting dirty, because don't forget its a diaper bag. I mean can you really ask for much more from a bag? 

These are just a few of my most favorites. I recall when registering feeling like the baby industry just preys on first time parents, and plays into their nervousness, to convince them that they actually need every single baby product ever made, or they wont make it. A couple weeks before we went to the hospital, and frantically trying to figure out if we had everything, a very wise girlfriend reminded me "remember, all babies really need is milk, diapers, and love" and that could not be more true. Plus if you get home and decide you do need something, amazon can drop it off tomorrow. 

Be Our Guest

Happy Tuesday! Today, I am giving a little glimpse into our guest room. I like the feel of the guest room to be very understated, allowing your guests more space to spread out, unpack. and make themselves at home, which can be tricky when every surface is covered. 

To me, the guest room should be the easiest room in your home to decorate, simply by compiling what you already have, and then pulling it together. I affectionately refer to the guest room as the "catch all" because that is exactly what it is in our home. Every single item in this room was formerly a part of some other room in one of our previous homes, and no longer had a place when we last moved. 

The bed, dresser, chest and nightstand were my husband and I's original bedroom furniture. Once we bought a different set years ago, this became the guest furniture and we purchased the bedding at that time in our first home. The coral frames above the chest were bought and hung as a part of a guest bathroom remodel, also in our first home. The lamp and picture frame were originally in the living room of our second home. The starfish pillows formerly sat on our sofa in an apartment we lived in, as well as the white curtains that hung in our apartment bedroom. If right now, you are thinking "wow, they have moved a lot" then you would be correct. 

However, my favorite detail of this room is the light fixture, that was never intended to be here. I picked it up while we were in the process of moving from our second home, and renovating our third. We actually never unpacked it there and once we moved again, this became the perfect spot. 

I'm sure you can see why I call it the "catch all" right? I do have my eye on adding a breakfast tray and a luggage rack in the future for guests, and if we had company on the way I would add a small vase of fresh flowers to the nightstand, bottled water and a few of their favorite snacks. Really though, you can't go wrong with fresh linens, white towels and a clean closet.  Already looking forward to our next guest again soon. Happy Hosting! 

Breastfeeding Basics

So we are getting up close and personal today. I honestly hesitated sharing this post, but as a first time mama, I actually gained more helpful information from bloggers and friends, than I did from any book. If you are not pregnant, a new mommy or simply just not in this stage of your life, feel free to head on out and swing back by next week!

Breastfeeding is one of the most challenging things I have ever done, and I want to preface this post by saying however you feed your baby is the best way. In the words of Cam Wimberly, whether that's nursing, pumping, formula or spoon feeding pureed Chick-fil-a. If I had even one bump in the breastfeeding road, I don't know that I wouldn't have done something differently. Frankly, I kind of  kept waiting on the pain, the cracking, the clogged ducts or mastitis, but it just didn't show up. The title of this post is exactly that-basics. I do not claim to be any kind of an expert at all, but I am almost 8 months in (and my eyes set on a year) with an exclusively nursed baby and these are just a few tips that have helped me (and maybe could help you!) along the way.

At one of our very first prenatal visits, I remember one of our nurses asking if we planned to breastfeed, and I told her what I would begin to tell everyone that asked me that over the next 9 months, "I intend to try." I remember it felt so odd for strangers to talk to me about something that seemed so personal, and yet it was a topic that just kept coming up. I would later come to realize that breastfeeding is a lot like giving birth, you don't know how to do it, until you do. You can read every book, watch videos and talk to friends but there's really nothing like on the job training. 

Towards the end of my pregnancy I became more nervous about breastfeeding than I was actual labor. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are actually very similar in that you are fully aware that your body, is no longer your own. It's amazing and exhausting and you know that your body is doing this incredible thing, that only you, and no one else can do for you. 

Something that I have found to be extremely helpful is setting small goals for myself and my baby. Before she was born I decided that I would give it my very best shot while in the hospital, hope for the best and then reevaluate once we were home. Before we ever went to the hospital I had formula waiting in our pantry just in case, to try and avoid any emotional middle of the night trips to the store. This gave me piece of mind that there always was another option. Once we were settled in at home, I extended my goal to 2 weeks, then 1 month, then 6 weeks. When you are both so new to everything, you and your baby just have to sometimes take it from feed to feed, and extend yourself and your baby some grace because you are both learning together. 

Breastfeeding a newborn is absolutely a full time job. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Water is so important not only to your recovery but to your supply. Another tool that was very beneficial for me was utilizing all of my resources. I met with the lactation consultant in the hospital for a boost of confidence in those early days, I attended our community mothers milk club for tips, tricks and encouragement and of course consulted my wonderful mom tribe with those middle of the night questions that always seem to pop up. 

For awhile, at times it really is just survival. Making it through the long night of cluster feeding, or pumping and cleaning part after part, just until it is time to feed again. During those middle of the night feeds, when I felt like everyone in the world was asleep but me, I tried to give myself something to look forward to. I would save a show and only allow myself to watch it during those feeds. Occasionally I would add an extra pump session in during the day to start creating a small freezer stash to give myself a little freedom if I needed to be gone, and before you know it you are no longer just surviving, you and that baby are thriving. 

I was recently telling my husband how I always feel so nostalgic when I think back on my pregnancy, because its just still incredible to me that my body grew our baby. What a miracle that is! He was quick to remind me that even though I grew that 7.5 lb baby over the course of 9 months, I have "grown" her so much more, simply by me nourishing her over the last almost 8 months. I had honestly never considered that thought before, but when I did it gave me such a different perspective on this sweet time in my life. Just like pregnancy it is fleeting and when it's over it's gone for good. So today if you feel like literally all you have done is feed a baby, then know that you did your most important job today, and you did it well, no matter how you did it. 

Coffee Talk

If we were sitting down and having coffee together today here are a few things that might come up, so grab your cup...

1. Post baby swimsuit shopping. Ya'll. Currently on the hunt for flattering suits that aren't frumpy, can't been pulled off by the precious cargo I'll be hauling around, but that I can still get off easily to feed her. I realize those are very high expectations and pretty unlikely, but spam me your faves. 

2. Are you counting down to the Royal Wedding like I am? Now, hear me out I will not be waking up any earlier than necessary to watch thanks to DVR, but I will absolutely record every second, and drink my coffee out of our fine china that day while watching. Fun fact: When Will and Kate got married, I was a sophomore in college and just had basic cable in my apartment, so I did wake up at the crack of dawn, and watched their perfect day from my bed, and then went back to sleep of course. 

3. Nerd Alert, but I really like to listen to podcasts. Driving, strolling, unloading the dishwasher etc. I listen to sermons, interviews, mommy chats, you name it. If you are a podcaster like me, what should I listen to next? 

4. Did you watch the ACM'S on Sunday night? If so, please tell me you saw Carrie Underwood's stellar performance. Not only did she knock it out of the park, but how refreshing was it to see her vulnerability on stage afterward? Arguably one of the most beautiful women in the world, and you could see how anxious she was to be seen publicly for the first time since her accident, that required plastic surgery on her face. I really felt for her in that moment and it reminded me that everyone is truly just trying to do the best they can. Team Carrie for life. 

5. Last but not least, what is your bedtime ritual? Outside of the generic wash your face and brush your teeth, do you have something that you do at night that prepares you for great rest? I feel like I'm constantly drifting off while attempting to watch some show, but would love to be more intentional.  Now, brand new mama's disregard this, I know right now you are just wishing you could say goodnight and go to sleep, but if you have a routine you love, I would love to hear it! 

Ok, now I am off for a refill and my second cup of the day! 

Baby Land

"Welcome to Baby Land" 

Any Father of the Bride part 2 fans out there? Admittedly Father of the Bride 1 & 2 are my all time favorite movies, and when we were decorating Everette's nursery we affectionately referred to it as baby land, or as my husband would always say "the sweetest room in the house", and I would have to agree. 

When we first started designing the nursery we knew that we wanted it to feel calm, restful and seemingly fit in with the rest of our home. In general I am naturally drawn to neutrals and light colors, and the same proved to be true for the nursery. Even though we were creating the room for our baby girl, it was always our intention to keep this room as our baby nursery for future children, and move Everette to a big girl room when the time comes. 

With this in mind and keeping with the overall feel of our home we selected Sherwin Williams Owl Gray for the wall color, which is actually the same wall color in our master bedroom, but to lighten it even more in the nursery we cut the original color to 50%. For our window treatments I just sketched up a little something for my seamstress, and it turned out exactly like I had hoped. The gray piping was actually leftover fabric from another project, and we had enough to create a monogrammed chair pillow as well. 

As far as furniture I really wanted to invest in pieces that would grow with our family instead of purchasing a changing table and small dresser that would become obsolete in a couple of years. Knowing I wanted a vintage larger dresser I began searching every furniture resale group online until I finally came across an entire set over 2 hours away. When I spoke to the seller and explained that I was really only needing a dresser and mirror she was so kind to sell me the whole set for the price of just the dresser, simply wanting to keep the set together. So our attic currently houses the extra headboard and two more dressers, while we went ahead and used the main dresser, nightstand and mirror. I love that eventually we will get to utilize all the pieces as our family continues to expand. We painted everything with Annie Sloan pure white and sprayed the knobs to give it that crisp clean look. 

After months of eyeing gorgeous cribs from Pottery Barn we ultimately went with one from Amazon, and because we purchased on prime day, we received free install so the day it was delivered an employee put it together for us in less than 15 minutes, which of course thrilled my husband when he got home from work. We loved the traditional lines of this crib and the fact that it included the toddler conversion kit which most require to purchase separately. 

Our rocker and ottoman were probably the easiest decision because we knew what we wanted from the start, and I'm so glad we went with our gut. We have already rocked many a mile in it and I know it will only become more special with each baby we have. 

We added a few final accessories to personalize the room for Everette, like the light fixture that I purchased from a local home shop, and displayed some of our favorite shower gifts like her crib pillow, sterling silver comb and brush, and monogram. When we found out we were having a baby girl, we knew her name was going to be Everette Elizabeth and loved how it looked written so the painting over her crib was the perfect touch. 

Every moment that I spend in this room I can't help but remember this past summer the hours spent painting, folding and hanging those sweet baby clothes, organizing books, and imagining and praying for the little one in my tummy. This room is without a doubt the sweetest room and my most favorite room in our home. Not because of the decor, but all because of the precious baby that lives here. 

Meal Planning

What's for dinner? Is that one of the most popular questions in your home too? Growing up my Mama cooked homemade dinners every night of the week and sometimes for lunch on Sunday as well. At the time I was unaware of what an accomplishment this was, but now I admire it so much. 

I inherited that same love for cooking from her, but it is tough to get a delicious dinner on the table every night. Before baby I had my evening after work to take my time and cook a full course meal with no interruptions, but now it's a bit trickier. I have found over time that no matter what I fail without a meal plan. I have been doing our grocery shopping and pickup through Harris Teeter online for years, and at times I would meal plan for up to two weeks in advance and order all of my ingredients in one purchase. 

More recently, I signed up to pay by the year instead of weekly and that allows me to place as many orders as I want or need to. Online grocery shopping can definitely be overwhelming the first time, but once you get the hang of it I have found that it saves us quite a bit of money and guilt from impulse buying in the store. As a new mom, the ability to just pull up and not have to disturb baby is worth its weight in gold! 

Before placing my grocery order and planning for the week I usually check out the weather forecast. If it's going to be chilly or wet I try to include ingredients for soup or a pot roast, and once it gets warmer and the days begin to get longer, we love to grill out as much as possible. Josh works late a couple of nights a week, and gets home well past dinner time so I also keep that in mind when planning for our week. I also try to make the most of each meal by doubling sauce recipes to freeze for later, or cooking an extra portion to have for lunch the next day. It's amazing how delicious spaghetti is later in the week over freshly cooked noodles, toasted bread and a crisp salad, especially when I made the sauce on Tuesday but doubled my batch. 

Here is a look at a typical supper schedule in our home: 

Monday-Breakfast for dinner (Josh late) 
Tuesday-Spaghetti, salad & bread 
Wednesday-Taco Soup & cornbread (Josh late) 
Thursday-Grilled pork chops, baked sweet potatoes, roasted okra, stewed apples 
Friday-Out to dinner 
Saturday-Spaghetti sauce from freezer, fresh noodles, salad and bread 
Sunday- Tuna steaks, steamed white rice, broccoli 

One of the toughest parts of meal planning to me is not getting caught in a rut and coming up with new ideas. I would love to hear how you feed your family! What's your favorite weeknight meal? 

Everette's Birth Story

Happy Monday! Today I am sharing an enormous piece of my heart, Everette's birth story. Since experiencing the miracle of pregnancy and childbirth myself I absolutely love hearing other women's birth stories and I have found that most women love to share their story as well. The day I married my husband was the best day of my life, but the night Everette was born was the best night of my life. 

On Wednesday August 23rd, I woke up about 3 am with some tightening across my stomach, but I just assumed it was those pesky braxton hicks contractions everyone had told me about, especially since I was barely 38 weeks. The day before I had been to my prenatal yoga class, swam in the pool and had gone for a long walk that evening, so I just assumed that maybe I over did it, and was a little dehydrated. I got up and drank a large glass of water, walked around a bit and laid back down not wanting to disturb Josh, who needed to be up by 5 to head out of town for work. We were still over 2 weeks away and I just knew that this was not it. The tightening did not seem to go away and started to become more intense. Finally, I woke Josh up and we tried to figure out whether he should go out of town or not. Only going to be 2 hours away I told him I felt like it was just false labor and to go right ahead. 

By 5 am the cramping had picked up and was closer together and against my encouragement Josh decided that he better stay home and take me in to the doctor just in case. Josh called our office and the doctor coming off call told us it did not sound like braxton hicks contractions, but could in fact be false labor. She advised us to time the pain and once it was consistently happening every few minutes for an hour to head to triage. At the time Josh got up, showered, packing a bag and was ready to roll. I on the other hand kept assuring him that "this was not really it" and "its going to ease off anytime now". 

By about 8 am the contractions were coming very consistently about 4-5 apart and lasting close to 40 seconds. Josh would time them and tell me while I showered and did my makeup when I could expect another one to happen. Still in denial that today was the day, I continued folding laundry, watering the plants and casually putting the finishing touches on my hospital bag, not really thinking I would need it. As the contractions became more intense that I had to stop what I was doing to breathe through them and kneel down, Josh was ready to go. Right before we walked out of the house he remembered that he was scheduled to get his whooping cough vaccination that they urge anyone that will be near to the baby to receive. He had scheduled it for this week, thinking he had plenty of time and not wanting to be unprepared, he suggested we make a pit stop at the health department on the way to the hospital. So we did just that, he ran in and informed the nurse that his wife was in the car in labor and he needed his vaccination as soon as possible. While I waited in the car it seemed like my contractions had virtually stopped, and once we arrived at triage they were incredibly inconsistent. 

They checked me at triage and determined I was at 3 cm. Knowing that women walk around for weeks at 3 cm I was ready to head on home and eat some breakfast, but they wanted us to stay and be monitored for the next hour to see if I progressed. I had hoped we could kill time by walking around the hospital but instead they asked my to lay on the bed and I am thankful they did because my contractions came back. When the nurse returned at the end of the hour I informed her that my contractions had returned and she laughed and said she knew since she had been monitoring me in the hall. She checked me again and sure enough I was at 5 cm and headed to labor and delivery. 

At the moment I remember thinking, "Ok, this is it, and I really wish I had eaten something for breakfast." I was still in shock that this baby was coming 2 weeks early to the day, especially when everyone warns you that first babies are usually late. 

Once I received my IV and we were all checked into labor and delivery the physician on call swung by and I was so thrilled that it was one of our favorites throughout the rotation. Amazingly, our former neighbor was also our labor and delivery nurse in the beginning and what a relief it was to see a familiar face. She kept reminding me to let her know when I was ready for the epidural and I went ahead and got it at about 7 cm before I began to really need it. As the day progressed our parents and siblings came by the hospital to visit, and since I was so comfortable it was nice to pass the time as I enjoyed my Popsicles and ice water. A couple of new nurses changed shifts and I started some pitocin to keep everything moving forward. We were joking with our doctor about whether the baby would be born before midnight or after and the floor was packed that night. At about 9 pm everyone exited and Josh and I rested for awhile, already pretty tired from being up so early that morning. 

Around 11:30 our doctor came in to check on us and had planned to move along but ended up being needed for an emergency down the hall, and asked if we were ok to wait. Still feeling fine I assured her we were all good. She returned a little bit after midnight, which sealed the deal that the baby would be born the next day, and informed me that I had been at 10 cm for quite awhile and it was time to push. Josh held my hand as he prayed for me and the baby and our new family of three. Our nurse began preparing our room and the baby station, and I remember thinking how incredible it was that this little person was about to come out and be laying in that little bassinet. Our room was quiet and peaceful with just Josh and I, our doctor, our nurse and the baby nurse. Everyone was so laid back and calm and I distinctly remember the summer storm and hearing it thundering outside. We started pushing and our doctor informed me that it would not take long, but it being my first baby I assumed that meant an hour or so. Two more pushes and she was here at 12:37 am.

I asked Josh to count her fingers and toes and he assured me she was perfect! They laid her on my chest and we stared into each others eyes while I told her I was her Mommy. Josh went with her across the room while she was checked out and brought her back over where we continued to just stare for the next few hours during recovery and before our parents came in to meet their first grandchild. 

Giving birth was without a doubt the most life changing moment of my life. We were fully aware that we were in the presence of a miracle and something that felt magical and holy. I will remember that moment and that feeling until the day I die. What a blessing it is to be a woman and a mommy. 

Mudroom Makeover

I never realized how much time I spent in our laundry room until we had a baby. The day we came home from the hospital we set up a downstairs changing station on the counter to keep from running up and down the stairs 12 times a day, which was much appreciated as I recovered from child birth. Mamas you feel me? Also, babies tend to add quite a bit to the everyday laundry load, and we used our mudroom sink as our baby bathing station as well. We were spending a lot of time in here.

Our homes floor plan is unique in that our mudroom is centrally located near the back door, and directly across from the powder room. You can view it from our living room and walk by it countless times a day. With it being so visible, I wanted it to look pulled together while still maintaining its functionality. 

Our first step was adding a small back splash to the under cabinet wall. It immediately cleaned up the space and added a pop of color. Next, I shopped around for a fun fabric for a window treatment and love how this one dressed up the window.  Our bench cushions were actually an after thought, but while searching for fabric for the window treatment I came across this one and really liked how the two patterns played together, and how durable the cushion fabric was for future spills and stains.

Just a couple of tiny changes that really allowed me to enjoy this room so much more and not feel like I needed to keep the door closed when company is here. Plus I figure, as much time as I spend in here, might as well be cute right? 

Babymoon

One of my favorite memories during my first pregnancy was the trip we took at the very beginning of my third trimester, 28 weeks to be exact. A trend that has become more popular over the last few years is the idea of a "babymoon". The name obviously plays into the idea of your honeymoon which you traditionally take right after your wedding to celebrate and relax with your new spouse after such a big day! The babymoon of course is the same idea, just flip flopped to celebrate and enjoy time with your spouse before the big day!

I love the idea of a babymoon because it truly is the last time you and your spouse will be "just the two of you" and its a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of lots of lengthy meals, soak up as much sleep as you would like and just enjoy each others company. Also, its the last time the two of you will be able to just pack your bags and walk out the door freely without the concern for who is
caring for little ones at home. For our babymoon we did just that!

We started our trip in Savannah where we stayed at the most precious bed and breakfast. We loved getting to chat with other couples staying at the inn as well and enjoyed happy hour and breakfast with everyone. We ate the most delicious dinner at one of Savannah's most popular restaurants and strolled around the gorgeous gardens.

After Savannah we headed about two hours south to St. Simon's Island and stayed at the beautiful Sea Island's Cloister. Without a doubt it is the most stunning hotel we have ever been to. Everything from our room to the views were absolutely breath taking. We went into St. Simon's for a tasty casual lunch and dinner one night and enjoyed being shuttled around by golf cart back at the resort to the different properties. We spent most of our days at The Beach Club and had the best dinner of my life at The Lodge.

Everything about this getaway was truly perfect! We could not have picked a better place to sit back and relax before parenthood! I am forever grateful for this precious time with my husband. Savannah and Sea Island will always hold such a special place in my mind and we can't wait to return as a couple, and as a family!