TGIF

It's Friday!!!  It has been a long week and I am looking forward to the holiday weekend. I have been kicking it off with some lazy TV watching and baby snuggling. 

Tired of Baby Pics Yet?

5 Minute DIY Nursing Ponchos

If you are large breasted like me you have probably found that covering yourself gracefully while you nurse is quite the challenge. I read online that poncho style covers may be a better option (I have a front style cover with a ribbed neck that doesn't work well for me at all).  I wanted to give the poncho style ones a try but they retail for $40 (ouch - that is a lot to spend for something that may or may not work out). So I did some Googling and it turns out these puppies are the easiest DIY projects ever!  Total cost = cost of a yard of fabric so in my case about $4!

Here is the DRIA cover...

Here is my version...

How to:

- Buy 1 yard of fabric (see fabric tips at the end)

- Fold the fabric in half - the fold will be the top of the poncho (it most likely already came folded in half when you bought it)

- In the middle of the folded edge (which is 36 inches long) cut a 12 inch slit along the fold seam for the neck hole

- That's it!  Easy right!  It appears to me that the real DRIA is wider so if you wanted you could always use more then a yard of fabric...

- If I were giving this as a gift I would serge or hem the borders and neckline but since it is a knit the ends just roll and since I am using it I didn't want to spend the extra time to finish the edges since it isn't necessary

Here is the BizzyBabee cover (I like how this style looks better - it is more flattering)...

Here is my version...

Here's how you do it...

- Again start with a yard of knit fabric folded in half (this time the fold will be the side of the cover)

- Measure 12 or 13 inches from the fold (to create the neck hole) and sew a 6 inch seam

- Turn so the seam is inside and Tada!!!  Easy isn't again. Again same applies to the raw edges.

Fabric buying tips (I don't use knit jersey fabric much so I wasn't sure what would work the best so I ordered 3 different kinds). Here is what I discovered:

- Go with a darker colored fabric so you can't see through it

- I really liked the lightest weight fabric because it draped nicely and didn't seem like the baby would feel smothered in it

- I liked the fabric with more stretch

- I ended up going with a super light weight dark grey cotton spandex jersey knit (about $4 a yard on fabric.com)

- The nice thing about the light weight fabrics is they fold up super tiny!!!  You could take this anywhere. 

Now I can't wait to try the covers!  I hope they work - granted at $4 a piece if it doesn't go well I won't feel too bad. 

First Day of School

Yesterday Chase had his first day of First Grade!  I can't believe how big he is getting.  I let him pick out an outfit for his first day of school at Target and he went with a Zombie shirt - gotta love it!

I hope this year is as full of happy school memories as last year was!

Tea Collection

I recently received a few outfits as a gift and I am in LOVE with the brand!  Everything is so cute!  Check out Tea Collection (can be found at Nordstroms). 

Lillebaby Carrier for Newborns

When I was pregnant I did a ton of online research about baby carriers and based on my research and recommendations from friends I was 100% set on getting an Ergobaby carrier. We went to a store to buy one and when we got there the sales lady recommended we try on a Lillebaby carrier because it is the staff's favorite and their best seller. So we tried on an Ergobaby, a Beco or Boba (I can't remember which one), and the Lillebaby. The Lillebaby definitely felt the best on.  The other HUGE advantage of the Lillebaby is that you can carry a newborn without an insert. All my friends said the Ergo insert was hot, cumbersome, and annoying (plus another thing to buy and haul around). 

We have only tried the newborn fetal carry so far but even based on the short time we have used this carrier it is worth every penny!

- It doesn't get too hot (all my friends with Ergos complained about the heat so I almost got the Airflow Lillebaby but DH liked the organic Toffee so we went with that - plus the sales lady assured us she never had a heat issue)

- We love that it can hold a newborn without additional inserts (there is a flap that flips up for additional head support for little ones)

- I can get it on and off by myself and it is quickly adjusted for different people (B likes the carrier too!)

- We haven't used the sun cover yet but I like the idea and it can always be removed

- This seems silly but I like that the straps have elastic bands to hold the "dangly" ends so there aren't straps flopping all over - I think all the carriers have that

Things I don't love:

- There isn't a pocket on the carrier but the Ergo front pouch fits on this carrier too so I just bought one of those

- I don't like the lumbar support piece it is hot and wasn't comfortable for me so I just took it off

I can't wait to try all the other positions!!!

Diaper Pouch

I wanted to come up with a better diaper bag organization system and I found this tutorial online.



It is really fast and easy and I think the final product is pretty cute.  It holds about 10 newborn diapers.

Note:  I made a second pouch and since newborn diapers are so short and tiny I boxed the corners by 1.5 inches so it is a bit wider which worked well. 

Apparently this is how my children prefer to sleep....

Chase

Keira

Hooray!

Baby Picture of the Day

Sweet Baby Girl

I tried to get a few cute photos of Keira today but she wasn't completely playing along so I only got a minute or two - I will have to try for some more another day.  Also it was a bit dark in the house - maybe a sunnier time of day would be better.  She is still pretty darn cute!

And here are the funny "what you get when photographing a baby" photos...

Wasssssssup.......

Sass already...

Puppy Love

Stark is very pleased that we finally allowed him to have some snuggle time with the newest pack member.

Things No One Warns New Moms About

When you are a new mom (even a second time new mom) there are all these little things that you realize no one told you about...or at least that caught me completely off guard...

Here is my list of little surprises in case there are any almost new moms out there that want the real scoop.

Let's start with the post baby issues with your womanly parts (this stuff was a real surprise for me). If you are like me expect at least a small tear. This means you will have a golf ball of swollen painful flesh where your perineum used to be. What can you do?
- DON'T forget the Peri bottle at the hospital!!!! They don't sell them at stores. This is a lovely litlle squirt bottle you use to spray luke warm water on your tear as you pee to take the sting out and clean yourself. Make sure the water is body temp - hot and cold feel bad.
- Spend the extra money to get expensive cushy absorbant TP while you recover.
- They will give you tucks (Witchhazel pads) and a topical pain relief spray at the hospital - take them with you or buy some to have at home. This helps with the perineum swelling and hemorroids that you get from pushing.
- You will bleed for quite awhile (no one mentions the extra long period like bleeding and cramps - have maxi pads ready). Because of this I love to rock the disposible mesh hospital undies from the hospital for a bit but throw away cotton undies work too. It also means it is nice to have Chux or a towel to sleep on to protect your sheets. I think Chux make the best changing pads for baby anyways.
- Have Ibprofin and Stool softeners ready (pooping after delivery with tears is soooo scary). Don't get behind with your meds.
- Sit on your boppy if you need to take pressure off your bum and try not to bend over too far it pulls too much - learned that today.
- Take a baby diaper and separate the top layer on the side with tabs to create a slot then put crushed ice inside the diaper and use the tabs to cover the hole. Use this as an ice pack for your swollen girly bits. It's amazing - they had these at the hospital.
- Keep on eye on your arm pits (yes arm pits) for blocked milk ducts. They say heat and massage help - I am still trying to figure this one out. Apparently it can also be swollen lymph nodes which should be iced.
- Oh and of course there is the incontinence. Get ready to pee yourself every time you cough or sneeze. 

Things about baby:
- I like the book The Baby Whisperer for some of the baby basics.
- Don't pat to burp baby - rub their back in an upward motion - it works soooo much better.
- When you are sleep deprived it is easy to forget to check the baby's diaper which can lead to unnecessary long bouts of crying - so if your baby is crying and crying and you are confused try changing them.
- Brick dust (say what?!). If you are like me the orangish reddish color in the baby's pee will freak you out - apparently it happens before your milk comes in when baby is dehydrated and has jaundice. Google it.
- Try different pacifier brands / shapes if necessary - we found Keira has a different preference then Chase.
- We love a good double swaddle (two blankets - it helps prevent escape).
- An angled crib / bassinet / chair may be easier to get baby to sleep in.

I am sure there are tons of other things but I can't think of them right now.

Cute Keira Baby Pics

Siblings

Baby Chase

Baby Keira

...amazing big brother Chase with Keira...

Home Sweet Home

We are headed home hooray!!!!!

And for comparison...baby Chase on his way home...