2 Months Postpartum: The Body

Stash Pocket Salutation Peony 7/8 Tight • Athleta • $71.99
Athleta Athleta Women's Encore Tank Top • Athleta • $33.93
Nike Pro Classic Mid-Impact Swoosh Sports Bra 842398 • Nike • $30

2 Months Postpartum: The Body

It’s been 2 months since my little guy was born. Sometimes it seems like just yesterday he was born.. but at the same time I can’t even remember life without him. Does that even make sense? 🤷🏼‍♀️

There is so much that goes into the postpartum period of having a baby. Not only adjusting to the baby, but the mental and physical side of things for YOU, the mama. Everyone provides so much support right after the baby, but when that first month is over and everyone goes back to work, and their own lives it can be HARD. You’re at home with a crying baby and it can get overwhelming especially if its your first baby. The 24/7 care can be exhausting. Combine that with hormones, breastfeeding, as well as with the physical changes that pregnancy and postpartum brings its no wonder there are so many women with the baby blues or even PPD. So little attention is brought to a woman’s mental state after pregnancy.

As you know, I write about everything…baby, mom stuff, recipes, fashion…it has super therapeutic in a way for me with this third baby. Having a baby can be isolating but this has given me an outlet when I might be otherwise cut off a little bit from society and my “regular” life.

But my favorite posts by far have tp be these body/fitness updates because even though I get frustrated on the DAILY- weighing myself, seeing an unflattering angle in the mirror, trying pre pregnancy jeans on.. the list goes on LOL... (I’m just being real with you during this postpartum phase) when I look back on my previous monthly posts, I can see that I’ve made progress. And I know there are SO MANY other women who feel the same way. And if I can see positivity & progress in my own journey, so can you.

Sometimes progress is hard to see when you’re grafting day and in and day out and things aren’t happening as fast as what you’d like. I encourage you to take progress photos and look at all of this from a “big picture” standpoint. How far you have come, rather than how far you have to go.

I know I feel inspired when I see other women work hard for things they want and I hope in a small way I can do the same for you. I’m not where I want to be yet (not even close), but I’m loving sharing the journey in depth with all of you.

Postpartum Feelings

I've been a mother for almost 5 years. To some of you, I'm still a rookie. And let me tell you, a lot of the time I sure do feel like a rookie. I think in our own way we are all newbies trying to find our way not only for our children, but for our new life as parents, caregivers. Because just when you think you've figured it out, they go and change on you again :) 

I can't tell you how many times over the last 4 1/2 years I've come across messages of "love your ____(insert either body, scars, battle wounds, mom pooch, tiger stripes, curves, stretch marks" etc. ) in social media, magazines, tv. It’s everywhere. Don't get me wrong. I love messages of positivity to uplift women whether you're a mom, a teen, or a twenty something post college graduate. But I guess a part of me has fought this message internally. And its always made me feel weird and to be honest, like an outsider when it comes to this topic. I don’t know if this message is realistic, for me anyway.

I don't love my postpartum curves. I don't love my stretch marks. I don't love my loose skin. I don't love my c- section scars. What I do love? MY SONS. My beautiful three boys. (they of course were worth every ounce of pain, sacrifice, skin sagginess, scars, and stretch marks FYI !)

If you asked me if I could have heathy children and do without the loose skin & stretch marks I wouldn't think twice. Absolutely I would take that. And I bet I'm not the only one who would -whether people want to admit it or not. Those battle scars…They’re just human.. and part of the process for some of us.

What I do is thank my pre-pregnancy body for being STRONG, fit and healthy enough to carry my babies…not my stretch marks or loose skin.

And my postpartum body? I might not love every part of it. BUT I RESPECT the HELL out it. My curves, stretch marks, loose skin and scars.

In my opinion, the most important way (and most realistic way) you can love your body is by respecting & appreciating it throughout all the crazy seasons of life us women go through.

Now…on to Month 2!

Post surgery:

This was the best recovery by far from all of my C sections. I think because my incisions opened (superficial layer, not infected or anything) the last 2 times I was really careful. In addition, I had a lot of help at night with my husband bringing baby to me in the middle of the night to nurse (not getting up out of a chair holding baby) which was #husbandgoals. Lastly, the horrible weather we had the first 4 weeks postpartum actually went in my favor because I didn’t go for walks or leave the house. Haha.

I have no issues with my incision and hopefully every day the scar will fade. Although having the scar doesn’t really phase me, to be honest. I think out of all things “postpartum” that is the thing I least care about.

Workouts

I’m getting 3-4 strength training workouts in during the week and trying to get 2-3 days of cardio in. I’m careful with my cardio; I want to be sure my body is able to handle the impact. Because of this, I’m really focusing on weights and getting stronger right now. During pregnancy I lost so much muscle- and gained a lot of extra fat so I’ve got to ease my way into it. In addition, I have about 2 cm of separation still between my abs-which I am doing DR exercises to improve.

I’ve gone on 3-4 runs and my times have already started to lower. I’m soooo far off where I used to be but I’m trying to focus on what I CAN do and not what I used to be able to do. I know I’ve done this twice before; and I can do it again if I want it bad enough.

Nutrition

To be honest, my nutrition has been better this postpartum period than it was with the other two. I’m eating less cereal/empty carbs at night and if I need a snack at night I choose Greek yogurt. During the day I’m pretty structured and disciplined. Breakfast is usually eggs with turkey bacon, eggs on its own, or chicken sausage always paired with oatmeal. Lunch is usually chicken or salmon with salad, and you have all seen my dinners throughout the week in my Monday meal plan.

Of course, I have “splurge” meals (like pizza last week saturday, for example) and I usually have a treat or two after going to the grocery shopping (I blame the “hungry me” for buying my fave love crunch granola haha)

For those that have breastfed, you know the struggle is real with nursing hunger…or HANGER. Ha. I literally CANNOT go to bed without eating something because I’ll wake in the night hungry.

I definitely don’t portion out my meals too much, I would say breakfast and lunch I know pretty much the macros I’m eating but dinner and before bed all bets are off. For me, maintaining my supply is most important and if it takes me 3 months longer to achieve what I want, then so be it.

Weight/ body image

My clothes are definitely fitting better but I would say 70% of my closet doesn’t fit, or it doesn’t fit comfortably/ the way I want it to. Which is super frustrating, but it is what it is. I’ve accepted it, respect it and I’m going to keep showing up like a bad penny at the gym getting after it.

I’ve also bought 2 new pairs of jeans because I’m not putting some ridiculous pressure on how fast “i bounce back”. Some of my pants are going to take about 6 MONTHS to fit back into, and thats just reality. You don’t get a medal, a trophy or anything special for fitting into your jeans quicker! I’ll get there and I know from my other two babies it takes time. A lot of time. Like over a year. And it takes sweat. Discipline. And of all things, consistency.

Weight wise the scale hasn’t budged in about 4 weeks. It has. not. budged. a. single. pound.

4 weeks of being intentional about walking (the first 2 weeks. Working out the last 2 weeks, 5 days a week.

4 weeks of intentional, healthy eating.

So, basically, I’m still 15-ish lbs above pre-pregnancy weight.

Frustration is an understatement.

I found with my other two babies I was able to lose a majority of the weight (over a 12 month period-let’s be clear!!) but I coulden’t get as lean/lose the last 3-4 lbs until I stopped nursing. Whether that was hormones, or my hunger, I’m not sure. We will see this time around! Everyone’s body is different and reacts a different way to nursing.

So, if you’re in the same season as me (this awkward postpartum phase), know that taking small victories like FEELING good, fitting into pants better, having more energy, being able to lift a heavier weight, or running faster/longer means far more than the scale anyway.

And as those small victories keep piling up ….you’ll see movement in the scale. Because that’s really how it works.

End of Story.

xo

Alex

2 Months: All about Baby, Sleep & Routine

Happy Tuesday everyone & Happy 2 months to our little babe! This is the best part of the “fourth trimester” for sure…once you hit month 2 everything starts to get better ((a little)) every day! You’ll always have “good” and “bad” days but things are on the up and up moving forward. 2 months signals baby’s first smile, a few giggles (soon!), more interaction, more sleep AT NIGHT and LESS CRYING y’all. #winning

Samson really has settled in the last 2-3 weeks. Weeks 3-6 were hard. Like really hard, not gonna lie. But once we got past that, our little guy is as happy as can be, sleeping longer at night, growing like a champ, and gave us our first smiles. He seems to be pretty laid back, even through the dreaded “witching hours” that haunt me from Max’s early days (and even Seb would get pretty fussy). He still catnaps through that time period (or doesn’t nap at all) but he isn’t THAT fussy so I’m thankful for that!

Routine & SLEEP

I wanted to share what routine Sammy is on. Everyone is different; some people might think what we do is quite “rigid” and have baby on no schedule; while others need more structure than what we do. I try to be somewhere in the middle realizing we have other kids and I can’t sit around the house all day catering to his naps-Especially when I’m on my own on weekends/nights and the kids want to get out of the house ((also for my sanity lol!)

I know there are all kinds of books “getting baby on schedule” like Moms on Call, etc. but for me forcing baby to wake at certain times of day at only 8 weeks is hard. I also think with older kids its hard to have such structured times for naps when you have preschool pickups, or have to get out with the other kids activities. In addition, Sammy usually does a 4-7 hour sleeping chunk at night (which is great for a 2 month old) so I don’t really think I have the need to change anything right now!

I am reading “Moms on Call” however for other sleeping tips though and just for ideas so if you ARE looking for some more structure and just help in general I would recommend that book for sure.

Currently Sammy is on an Eat, Play, Sleep schedule. He honestly settled into that on his own and its worked really well. My two others were the opposite where they nursed before they napped. I tried to incorporate that schedule with Max & Seb but it just never worked with them and sometimes you just have to listen to baby! I do like the Eat, play, sleep schedule because he won’t be associating sleep with nursing (and me, for that matter) and me nursing him before naps when he gets older (bc tbh I love nursing them to sleep :) ) will be on MY terms, not because he needs it to fall asleep!

Sammy is different; he self soothes A LOT better than my other boys which I think helps. I’ve also been trying to be mindful of letting him TRY to self soothe before rushing to get him during a nap or during the night. What’s helped me a ton is the book “Bringing Up Bebe” and what the French call the “pause” where they wait and observe their child rather than pick them up right when they make a sound.

“When a French baby cries in the night, the parents go in, pause, and observe for a few minutes," Druckerman explains. “They know that babies' sleep patterns include movements, noises, and two-hour sleep cycles, in between which the baby might cry. Left alone it might 'self-soothe' and go back to sleep."

Let me be clear in saying that this is not cry it out by any means; its just simply observing and allowing baby the opportunity to self soothe. If he doesn’t, I intervene.

We have him on a one hour- 75 min wake schedule. So basically that means when he wakes up, he has generally one hour of awake time before he has another nap. His wake times I base off of research on wake times and ultimately how long he is able to stay happy for awake time. He eats, sits in his bouncy chair, plays on his activity mat, does some tummy time and when he starts to get fussy/and or hits an hour (usually they tend to coincide) we head upstairs. He naps in his swing currently. I would love to wean him off of that but I’m not sure that will happen anytime soon! He usually takes around 4 naps a day and sometimes (like Saturday) they are horrible cat naps…then other days he has longer naps (90 min-2.5 hours). Erratic naps are still normal at this age so I’m not super worried about it. Generally the morning naps are better and longer; later in the day they are shorter (30-45 mins!).

Bedtime is usually between 7:30-8:45pm. Sometimes he goes down really easy and puts himself to sleep after making noise/whining for a little bit. Sometimes he does full on cry for a couple minutes; usually I wait it out to see if he can overcome it himself. After 3-4 mins I usually go up to soothe him. Then there’s other nights I have to put him down when he is fully asleep..meaning I wait the dreaded 15-20 mins waiting for him to go into his “deep sleep” so he doesn’t wake up right when I set him down because he’s just not able to soothe himself. And thats totally okay, especially because he’s still so little and we all have bad days #amirite??!! I have been working really hard at the “self soothing” though because in order for baby to sleep well, they have to know how to put themselves back to sleep. So this is pretty much #1 on my list of things to conquer.

Last night I had all 3 kids for bedtime….so let’s talk about that. Ha. I’ve had them on my own for bedtime on my own probably 8 times now. Every night is different because Samson still doesn’t have a “set” bedtime so I never know how its going to go!

But last night went SO WELL. Do you ever have those nights that everything goes well and you can’t. even. believe. it. Like am I the BEST MOM EVER?!! haha. ((and then the next day is a complete shit show!) But anyway, I got the baby down ((the boys had a snack and watched a Disney movie)) and the Routine was as follows:

Lullaby on (I have an app on my phone)
Draw blinds, etc
Massage with lotion, Change into jammies, wash face
Turn Lullaby off, nurse one side
Turn white noise on & swaddle (this is the swaddle we use, I love it because it doesn’t ride up around his face)
Feed other side
Put down awake

This whole process took 30 mins.
I put him down fully awake and he made a few noises but went to sleep on his own! And I was able to give the older two full attention after 7:30 pm and put them to bed without a screaming baby in the other room. Like I said, this doesn’t always go this way, but I sure felt like a ROCKSTAR last night. lol. He did wake up after his first sleep cycle and cry out, but it was for about a minute and he went back to sleep on his own.

And if you are reading this, and your baby is the same age as mine/older, screams every time you try to put them down, and NEVER self soothes, PLEASE DON’T COMPARE. Like I said, my oldest I never could have even attempted to put him down “drowsy but awake” this early on. Every baby is different and getting them to learn how to sleep is HARD. They all do it on their own time and you just have to listen to them and see what they are ready for. Listen to your momma instinct!

Last week Samson had a little cold so I had him sleeping in the rock and play to keep him elevated. He seems to really like sleeping on the angle and had his best sleeps in there. Nighttime sleep in the Rock and Play the last week has been AMAZING so this is why I’m resisting moving him from there. Do you blame me?? He has been doing 6-8 hour stretches at night. So basically he goes down at 7:30/8:30ish and then sleeps through til 2 or 3 am. Last week he even did a 8:45 pm-4:30 am. #GOALS.

Before he was sick he was sleeping in the dock-a-tot and was doing one 4-5 hour shift right when he went to sleep. I’m working on getting him in the crib without the dock-a-tot but it didn’t go so well saturday night. I’m not sure if its because he was so overtired from the short naps he had so I’ll keep persevering.

And don’t get me wrong-sometimes after his “long” stretch of sleep (the 5-7 hour window) he might get up every 2 hours after so some nights are harder for me than others!! Especially if he goes to bed earlier (like 7:30/7:45) and then he’s sleeping 7:30-2 am, and then up again at 4, and 6 am. Ick.

I’ll keep you all posted on how this progresses and anything I can pass along to you!

Breastfeeding

Nursing is going great. He weighs more than 13 lbs (in the 90th percentile for weight lol) so he is eating so well. Nursing sessions have cut down in time for sure which is great. I’m still leaking like crazy and getting engorged (especially at night) but I’m sure that will level off in the next 4-6 weeks.

I recently got the Willow pump in the mail and I’ll be trying that out and reviewing it here on the blog! For those that don’t know what it is, it is a wireless and cordless pumping system. It is also very quiet and you can pump on the go-while you’re playing with other kids, driving, while you cook, and you can even lay down pumping!

I do try and do one extra pump a day to stockpile milk; in addition to what Samson drinks we put my breastmilk in my older sons oatmeal (shh don’t tell!!). My middle boy also sometimes likes to drink it still out of a cup! I usually do this pump earlier in the day (morning) and pump only my right side. This side produces more milk for the pump; then I just feed on the other side because I know baby can get what he needs from there because they are more adept at pulling milk while breastfeeding than the pump is.

Milestones & Personality

Like I said before, Sammy is pretty chill. He loves to sit in his bouncy chair and look around and could honestly sit there for a good 15 minutes without a peep! He loves looking out the window, and likes taking walks. He doesn’t love car rides but is definitely getting a little bit better with it! He started smiling about 2 weeks ago (around 6/7 weeks). He kicks his legs fast when we speak to him and its so fun to see his reactions! I can’t wait for that first little giggle. He is also starting to enjoy his bathtime more and more & when he’s on his activity mat he sees everything so much more clear. Looking forward to when he is able to fully hold his head up and jump in the jolly jumper!

Brothers

The boys are honestly so awesome with him. I only worry about Seb because he is only 2 and doesn’t fully understand that he could really hurt the baby. But every single day they talk about Samson and tell me “he’s my best friend” ummm. HEART MELTED. Makes all the long nights and hard days worthwhile! Max is actually a pretty good little helper if I need something too!!

It’s going to be a little crazy no doubt trying to find a routine with all three boys but I think the biggest thing you learn after going with one to two kids is to just ROLL with it! So that’s what I’m doing…

2 month favorites

Here are our favorite 2 month baby favorites!

1.We’ve started to put Sammy in the bumbo for short increments! Its great for when you start solids and just somewhere “new” to put baby when you have to make dinner or tend to something else.

2. We love Mortimer the moose toy!

3. This baby einstein toy was a fave of our older two and plays fun music to catch their attention!

4. More toys

5. The shusher- amazing for on the go soothing!

6. This is a great early sit up seat for baby when they are young! Especially when you have other kids…keeps them entertained but still supports them!

7. The Mommy hook- but with a phone charger on it!!

8. Fun jungle gym that has a fun area for them to kick!

9. LOVE these mickey onesies!!

10. Baby towels from PB

11. Rattles

12. I want to get this portable sound machine!

13. Dock a tot that he loved sleeping/lounging in

14. The must have boppy for breastfeeding mamas

15. The rainforest play mat that we have had for all 3 kids!

16. Swing= LIFESAVER

17. The bouncer we have that he hangs out in

18. The best stroller IN ALL THE LAND. HANDS DOWN!!!

19. Lastly…how adorbs is this bunny onesie for Easter!!!?

Bumbo Floor Seat in Blue • Bumbo • $44.99
Lamaze Mortimer The Moose Plush Toy • Lamaze • $14.99
Baby Einstein Take-Along Tunes • Baby Einstein • $9.99
Baby Einstein Discover and Play Gift Set • Baby Einstein • $24.99
Baby Shusher: The Sleep Miracle • $34.99
Fisher Price Fisher-Price Deluxe Sit-Me-Up Floor Seat • Fisher-Price • $47.99
Mommy Power Stroller Hook • $39.99
Fisher-Price 2-in-1 Flip & Fun Activity Gym • Fisher-Price • $22.97
babyGap | Disney Mickey Mouse Bodysuit (3-Pack) • Gap • $19.99
Pig Nursery Bath Wrap, Pink • Pottery Barn Kids • $22.99–39.50
Fisher Price Fisher-Price Rattle 'n Rock Maracas • Fisher-Price • $6.29
Vtech VTech Myla the Monkey Portable Safe & Sound Storytelling Soother with Night Light in White • Vtech • $19.99
DockATot Deluxe+ Stage 1 Dock • $185–195
Boppy& Luxe Pillow with Reversible Slipcover in Elephant • Boppy • $49.99
Fisher Price Fisher-Price& Rainforest Music and Lights Deluxe Gym • Fisher-Price • $59.99
Fisher Price Fisher-Price Cradle 'n Swing in Safari Dreams • Fisher-Price • $164.99
My Little Snugapuppy Deluxe Bouncer • $39.99
Baby Jogger 2017 City Select Stroller in Black/Grey • Baby Jogger • $529.99
Bunny Sweater One-Piece • Gap • $39.95

Have a great Monday! xo

Alex

Birth Plans & What I wish I knew about C-Sections

Birth Plans

I always took an interest when I was pregnant reading people’s labor stories prior to having my first. I was incredibly nervous about labor, child birth, etc. I read everything I could get my hands on. I also had an image in my mind of what my labor would look like and I assumed because I was so fit & healthy that childbirth would be something that I, of all people, could do well…and like KICK ASS at (haha, clearly I was delusional). I also had a personal goal (that I didn’t necessarily share with anyone) to give birth without an epidural (also, clearly extremely delusional !!!!) . I think in some ways our society glorifies “natural childbirth”- and don’t get me wrong- if you delivered that way, you’re a rockstar. But there are many ways to deliver a baby and all that matters is getting baby out safely-for mom and baby.

At the end of the day, I couldn’t have been more wrong about my birth experience and the one thing I always tell first time moms is KEEP AN OPEN MIND.

My labor experience was something I never could have expected and I felt completely blindsided by how everything went down. Long story short, my water broke, I didn’t progress past 2 cm, my baby went into distress from pitocin, the labor pains from the pit were the WORST PAIN I HAD EVER FELT IN MY LIFE, and I begged for an epidural after about 12 hours. Baby was slightly transverse, and I ended up getting a C-section after 20+ hours of labor after my water broke. So…I wanted to share some things that EVERY first time mom should read about C-sections because YOU NEVER KNOW. I wish I would have researched it, and kept an open mind about my “birth plan”.

C-section’s seem to be a hot topic in America. WHY, how, should you or shoulden’t you. I consider myself an extremely confident female (and mother) and whenever someone asked me about my due date or we got on the subject of my babies births/birth stories, I felt the need to explain why I had a C-section. And its completely ridiculous.

I’m currently reading “Bringing up Bebe: One American Mother discovers the wisdom of French Parenting” by Pamela Druckerman and even she mentions:

“Very few women make a fuss about this. French moms often ask me where I plan to deliver, but never how. They don’t seem to care. In France, the way you give birth doesn’t situate you within a value system or define the sort of parent you’ll be. It is, for the most part, a way of getting your baby safely from your uterus into your arms.

In French, giving birth without an epidural isn’t called natural childbirth. Its called ‘giving birth without an epidural.’ “

I’m not taking anything away from someone who has given birth without an epidural. Or has gotten an epidural. I guess my point is..let’s all do whats best for our bodies, and babies.

Rather than sharing my birth story and the play by play of it-which to be honest isn’t really that interesting considering it was a scheduled C-section…. I’m sharing what I wish I knew about C-sections in general prior to ‘going under the knife’. I honestly hope ALL moms to be read this because like I said, you may think things will go a certain way, but sometimes they don’t!

What I wish I knew about C-Sections

Pre Surgery Vibes!!!

Surgery:

1. Stay Calm & BREATHE: If I could give any tips, this would be it! Especially if it isn’t a planned C, or you have never had surgery before-it can be really scary. With my first because things happened so fast, and I wasn’t really prepared mentally, I asked to listen to music. Being strapped down and being operated on while you’re fully awake isn’t for the birds! It helped calm me for sure. I also try and think about anything BUT what they are actually doing. Like what baby is going to look like, etc.

2. Be prepared that you might get the shakes: With my first, I had so many different drugs in me to try and get baby to come, that I was shaking so hard in the surgery room. I mean…arms shaking, teeth chattering. Crazy. Again, see #1.

3. You can still feel it: Kinda freaky, but you can still feel them moving around in there. You shouldn’t feel pain, BUT you will feel pulling, tugging, etc. I remember with my second they couldn’t get his head out and they had to reallllly push and pull. Let’s just say that I could feel all that going on! Please revert to #1.

4. It’s COLD AF in there. They will give you blankets but its still chilly!

5. You can still have skin to skin. With my first two, they pretty much whisked the baby away to get his scores, weight, and clean him up. This time, at the new Children’s hospital, they didn’t take him for a bath right away. They checked baby out, and then brought him over to me and laid him on my chest (obviously with my husband holding him) and this was AMAZING. I definitely think they are trying to do more “baby/mom” friendly practices which is awesome because I always felt like I lost out on those first moments with my other two being C-sections.

6. Some people’s doctors request for no makeup-mine never did. However, nails have to be unpainted so save that pedi for another day!

   Post Surgery:

7. You may feel nauseous (sometimes some people feel sick during surgery too!). With my first two, afterwards I felt super groggy and tired but was OK. This time around I threw up a few times and honestly was super nauseous for probably 12 hours. This sucked big time-especially since I literally haven’t thrown up since I was like 12. So, I’m not one to get nauseous easily! I was told it was a different pain medication they give you (which was great for the pain) but for my overall state was a bummer! I feel like I coulden’t even enjoy baby because I felt so sick and horrible.

8. Take the stool softeners: I know I mentioned this before, but if they don’t give them to you. ASK for them.

9. You may have shoulder pain post surgery. I don’t remember this with my other two babies but this time around I totally thought I slept bad in the hospital bed (which I did, don’t get me wrong haha!) but the pain in my neck/shoulder was really from gas that was caught in my system due to everything slowing down post surgery! It was painful!

10. Get a belly Bandit: I didn’t wear mine in the hospital but pretty much when I got home I slapped that baby on. It helps so much supporting the core, and laying over your incision. Also…it helps flatten out that postpartum belly!

11. Get the C-panties: If I could go back and purchase one thing after my first baby, it would be this! Not only do these help with a silicone strip for healing of the incision so there isn’t any rubbing on your clothing, etc., but they are high rise and suck everything in. I swear I wore these for like…6 weeks postpartum with baby 3!

12. HELP, HELP, HELP!! Get help where you can! Honestly..sit on the couch, turn on netflix, read a book, close your eyes, watch instagram stories. Whatever—just relax. Let others do the cooking, cleaning, laundry. If people ask, TAKE THE HELP. I definitely didn’t take this advice the first 2 times around. Remember, at the end of the day you don’t get an award for doing it all. Rest, recover, and save the cleaning/cooking/etc for 6 weeks from now! You’re no less of a person, mom, woman if you take help!

13. Don’t weigh yourself- because alllll of the swelling and water retention!! I mean…1. you just made a human and 2. you may have tons of water retention from the fluids pumped in you pre, during and post surgery. EVEN a few days later when you come home they can still be lingering! Drink tons of water!

14. Laughing and sneezing hurts….put a pillow or the boppy up against your incision if you have to the first week or so!

15. IT IS A REAL BIRTH. Enough said.

My C Section Must Haves:

I have linked a bunch of my C-Section must have’s including The belly bandit, the C panty, the boppy and of course HIGH RISE leggings because you definitely do not want ANYTHING rubbing on that bikini line where your incision is!!

A Pea In The Pod C-Panty Recovery & Slimming Panty • A Pea in the Pod • $40
Upspring C-Panty Small/Medium High Waist C-Section Recovery Panty in Black • Upspring • $39.99
Belly Bandit Post Pregnancy Belly Wrap • $69.95
Belly Bandit(R) Post Pregnancy Belly Wrap • $69.95
Belly Bandit(R) Post-Pregnancy Belly Wrap • $69.95
Zella Live In 7/8 Leggings • Zella • $54
Zella Live In High Waist Leggings • Zella • $54–59
Zella Live In High Waist Crop Leggings • Zella • $55
Lululemon Align Pant Super High-Rise *28" • Lululemon • $98
Boppy& Luxe Sherpa Sheep Nursing Pillow and Positioner in Cream • Boppy • $49.99

xo

Alex

1 Month Old & 1 Month Baby Picks

Happy weekend loves! Hope you all had an amazing Valentines Day :)

Happy 1 Month!!!

Oh and happy one month to my little baby! And happy “we-survived-one-month-with-three-kids” to my husband and I! Haha! 

Today I’m sharing a little about our little guy now that he’s a month old  😭 and some of my “one month” baby favorites. 

I plan on sharing some of MY personal one month favorites as a mama that helped me get through the first 4 weeks next week! Also, my fitness/ body update will be shared next week!

I would have to say Baby Sammy falls right in between his brothers. He’s definitely not as fussy as his oldest brother (cause let’s be honest Max was horrible as a baby - cried constantly!!! ) but Sebby was pretty chill!! 

Sleep 

We moved him into his own room about a week ago. He will sleep either in his crib or in his rock and play. I figured he wasn’t sleeping great in our room so might as well move him because we weren’t going to be ruining something good anyways! Lol! 

Sleep in general is still not great although he does do one long stretch for about 3-4 hours. Last night he did a 4 hour stretch; the hard thing is getting myself to sleep at 9 pm and not wasting my life away on my phone, reading or just spending time with my hubby after he falls asleep haha. I hate rushing to bed but it’s worth it so I try to do it. After that long stretch of sleep it’s a crap shoot; I’m lucky if I get more than 2 hrs sleep windows after that. Hopefully he is done with the late night wake ups (like fully awake from 11 pm until 2 am UGH) where he’s up for a few hours. I do have to wait awhile before I transfer him into the crib or rock and play because he will just wake up otherwise. Hey, survival mode rn people!! I’ve been trying to nap a couple of times a week to try and keep myself functioning with the lack of sleep!

Breastfeeding

Big guy nurses like a champ and I would say my biggest issue right now is my oversupply and spraying him in the face haha during let down. When I leave the house and miss a feeding ( pretty rate) I do pump and I use the Madela. I did order the Willow pump (the cordless one) and I will definitely be reviewing that for you all when I get it in! 

Baby Sammy

Sammy is definitely doing more cooing by the day, is super busy and always moving, loves to be held, and doesn’t like a paci! I swear also that we had a real smile from him this morning! He loves going for walks ((so excited for when it’s better weather and we can go every day!)) and likes the bouncer, and the swing!

Not sure how long he is, but he is clocking in at 11 lbs already!! 

1 Month Baby Favorites

Here are a few of our 1 month baby favorites: 

1. Hands down the best investment we made was this swing. It was literally a lifesaver with max…..I mean could not have lived without it. It was the only way he would sleep!! Seb and Sam both have napped in it and it was worth every cent!!

2. The Boppy has been integral to my breastfeeding success especially having a C section. These are also great for working on sitting up later on, and tummy time!

3. I don’t have this version of the Rock and Play (This is the newer/nicer version-mine doesn’t rock automatically, only manually) but I would definitely buy this if I was having more kids/registering for my first. I have used the Rock and Play for napping and even bedtime with all 3 of my babies. They are portable, and put the babies on an incline (some babies prefer to sleep that way, or if they are sick its helpful)4.

4. Where my Disney lovers at?!! Swaddling blankets are great to have around and these aden and anais blankets are so cute and soft. Who can pass up Mickey?!!I use them for everything including leaking when I’m nursing (I put under his face on boppy so I don’t have to wash the boppy covers everyday)

5. Bouncer for a good price- this is the one we have and both my younger two boys liked it for lounging and chilling!

6. The tub we have for baby and had for all 3 kids!

7. Favorite, Favorite, Favorite bath wash for baby. I even use it on the older boys still to this day!

8. This activity mat we have had for all 3 boys and its great for tummy time, and exercise!

9. Sleep sacks are a must- keep babies swaddled without any hassle! Velcros make it easy for you!

10. The Dockatot is probably the only thing I DID buy. ha. This was new on the market after I had Seb and so many people raved about it. I definitely really like it. I use it more for lounging- I set him in it when I’m upstairs getting ready, putting clothes away, tending to his brothers, etc. and I don’t need to worry about him just laying flat on the bed. I know some people use it for napping and he has fallen asleep in it a few times but I don’t intentionally use it for napping. I also got it on sale through the Nordstrom Anniversary sale so for me it was worth it because I got a good deal on it!

11. Cute bath towels from Pottery Barn- we have used these for all 3 babies. Good quality!

12. Obsessed with Little Giraffe blankets and products!

13. This is the basinette that we used, and I have really liked. I also really like this HALO basinette-its def more modern with more technology and options so I may have picked this one if I didn’t already have one!

14. The shusher- it really works!

15. Obsessed with our stroller, we’ve had it for 5 years and its taken such a beating but we have NEVER had to replace anything on it. We walk sooo much and travel a lot so it has been roughed about but is still in great working condition. The quality is amazing, very easy to push and is easy to convert and add a seat if you have a second child!

16. Car Seat

17. Drying rack for bottles, pump parts, etc.

18. Sammy doesn’t really like paci’s, but both of my other boys used these the first month or two. The animal they can grab on to and it helps to stay in their mouth!

19. Car seat cover to keep baby safe from the elements/strangers!! Different designs and are so cute.

20. Winter baby must: warm car seat cover! 
    

Have a great weekend! xo

Alex

-Last Minute Valentines Day Gifts for Kids-

Last Minute Valentines Gifts for Kids

Hey y’all, hope you had a good weekend! Not much happening over here ((what else is new lol)) My weekend consisted of the usual... nursing, changing diapers and playing referee to my two older kids. Because I haven’t been able to get out as much as usual (( or like.. at all)) for obvious reasons I’ve done some ordering on amazon prime for a Valentine’s Day! 

I don’t know about you guys, but having kids makes Valentines Day that much more FUN and special! They get so into the holiday with their crafts, valentines, and school events! I

I thought I would share some of my picks for cute gifts for your little ones - that are delivered right to your door in time for Valentine’s Day- without any stress! 

| Melissa and Doug Train Conductor costume/dress up. My boys love to play dress up!!! |Melissa and Doug Race Car driver costume/ dress up |Girl Heart Jammies |Shopping Cart ||Dyson kids vacuum | Play Doh |I know the Grinch is another holiday..but if you don’t love Xmas all year round WHO ARE YOU. lol. My kids loved this movie and I might snag it for them for V-Day | How amazing is it that the caboodles for girls are back?!!!|These confetti crayons look so fun|Both of my boys are obsessed with these lego books|Gas n Go mower- both my kids love these! |Walkie Talkies for kids | V Tech Interactive walker |Candy Land Board Game|Duck and Goose Valentine Book| Minnie’s Valentine Book | Franklin’s Valentines Book

Hope you all have a great day!

xo Alex

3 weeks Postpartum Thoughts & My #1 PP Must Have

Happy Thursday everyone!

Hope you all are having a good week and enjoyed the warm up we had at the beginning of the week! It def gave me spring fever 🌸 🌺 ☀️ It also made me totally want to book a getaway ASAP!! 🏝 LOL

Hopping on to give a lil update on 3 weeks postpartum and some of my Postpartum must haves...

3 weeks postpartum

I remember the days going by so slowly postpartum with both of my first two kids, but I feel like this time it’s flying by. Maybe because I have two other guys to look after? I’m not sure but it sure is going by fast. 

The newborn honeymoon phase is clearly over at this point and it’s GAME ON. I know sooo many people who are like “newborns are so easy”. I think they may be on some sort of drugs or .. they had a super easy baby. I prefer toddler phase SO SO much more. Probably because 99% of night waking is my responsibility ((nursing))so home girl is tired AF. So let’s get to it...

Sammy 

Our big guy loves cuddles, milk, and being warm. Tolerates tummy time better than my other two ever did, and likes the bottle definitely less than the others. Hates to be swaddled (wants his arms free) and is the only one of my kids who actually likes to baby wear! All in all, he’s growing, healthy and we coulden’t be more blessed. truly. ((even with the lack of sleep lol))

SLEEP 

Sleep was actually going okay. At first I was getting 2-3 hour stretches at night. Bedtime is all over the show ((which is normal I guess)) and the last week was pretty rough. There were 2-3 nights where he was up 11 pm-1:30 am and then up every 90 min after- which is brutal considering my other kids are up at 6:30/7 am. Last night I resigned to the fact that I needed to go to bed when my older two hit the sack around 8 pm and that’s what I did. So I was able to get two 3 hour stretches of sleep and then once we hit 2 am he was up every hour or 90 mins. I was so happy he wasn’t up for the happy hour at 11 pm! 

How am I managing it? Some days are better than others. Most days I’m okay... but tbh yesterday I felt completely defeated.

Like...I’m never going to sleep again or get anything done ever again??!!. Before I had Sammy, I was usually up before 6 am to get myself ready, work out, emails, work on stuff for our business, blog, etc. Now that’s clearly not going to happen and it’s driving me crazy. It was my “time” to be productive and going to bed at 8 or 9 pm also means I get ... nothing done at night. Ugh. 

I’m not much of napper but I have forced myself to when I have help. I also remind myself 55 times a night on how fast this will go, and how my little guy is so used to being with me 24-7 and that he needs me. His mama ❤️.

Also, caffeine helps. Lol. A lot. Gimme allll of the spark. 

Breastfeeding

All of the pains of the first couple of weeks have subsided including sore nipples, massive engorgement, super leaky boobs, etc. and we’ve settled into a pretty good routine. 

Sammy only has taken the bottle 2 or 3 times; he’s not a huge fan which is okay for me now anyway because I’m with him so much and not working atm other than doing some things remotely at home and a meeting or two every week that I need to head in to the office for.

He’s gaining weight really well and I’m so grateful for my body and ability to nurse him. I’m definitely going to write up a breastfeeding post to share with y’all including tips, things I wish I would have known, and my favorite nursing friendly clothing!! 

Body

I did a big post on this last week. In the past week, I’ve started to walk a little bit weather permitting. My incision feels better and better and no signs of any issues there.

Also ...true story ....after my first walk my abs were sore! Haha! I don’t force the walking though- if the weather is crappy (like today) I just roll with it!

I’m not going to lie that I don’t feel a little frustrated - I weighed myself yesterday for the first time in a week and I haven’t lost a single ounce. So, I’m still up about 18-30 lbs. 

On top of that I ((stupidly)) tried on a pair of my normal size jeans and couldn’t get them over my thighs. On the same day that I weighed myself #ROOKIEMISTAKE lol.

Literally cried for the first time since having the baby. Not sure why I decided to do both of those things in one day 🤦🏼‍♀️Anyway, I have soooo much work to go to get back where I was and I’m definitely feeling down about that. 

It’s actually FUNNY to me typing that. I mean, I did just birth a 8 lb human 3 weeks ago….I guess patience and grace is an area that I need to work on lol. Also I’m not even walking consistently so I’m not sure why i think my body should be back to the way it is. I guess its just been a reality check and thats been a tough pill for me to swallow about the work and grind I’m gonna have to put in starting at 6 or 7 weeks PP. I’m mentally gearing up for it though and ready for the challenge.

I’m definitely going to do a “body image” post sometime soon because its something I’m really passionate about and I have sooo many thoughts about the “body positivity” movement!

Brothers 

The boys have adjusted really well ((so far)) actually. Max is definitely more interested in his baby brother and is pretty helpful!! but Seb loves him as well. Managing all three at one time on my own is a bit of a circus. I resort to a little more TV time than I would normally especially because I have to nurse so much ... and baby wearing 🤷🏼‍♀️when I have to. Newborns DO sleep a lot which helps, and my boys are in school (Seb twice a week, Max 4 times) so the mornings are easier. Early afternoons are okay because both older boys nap so its pretty much the 3-6 pm time slot and I mostly have help for now.

Tuesday night I was on my own with all three boys for bedtime. Luckily the baby napped the hour leading into their bedtime so all was good 🙌🏼I’m looking forward to a month or so from now where I can start to have a routine for the baby (or at least a ball park scheduled bedtime) and it will give us a little more structure. 

Postpartum Must- haves

I thought I’d share a few things that have been crucial to the bane of my existence for the past 3 weeks! These are great for postpartum…but also just COZY and COMFY wear for those on the lookout!!

-My #1 PP Item- The belly bandit. I wear this thing 24-7. Helps me keep my core stable, gives me support, and helps with reducing size of my tummy post baby. Cannot recommend this enough!!!

-Barefoot dreams cardigan. Wearing a sweater at times can be cumbersome when you nurse 10 times a day lol! these are soo warm and easy to wear.

-Another barefoot cardi

-Barefoot socks….wore around house or out and about with boots!

-I wear these C-panties day and night to help protect my incision! A must for C Section mamas.

-Cannot live without my boppy for breastfeeding.

-I wear joggers around the house alllll day. Love these joggers from Loft. Honestly they are like a soft blanket!

-My Dylan joggers from Anthro are on mega sale. Great if you’re pregnant, not pregnant or PP. Come in tons of colors!

-When I actually have to look presentable I wear the Align legging from lulu (high waisted and suck it all in) or the Zella legging!!

-Can’t say enough about these Wit and Wisdom jeans. Elastic on jeans? yesssssss.

-BP t shirts- easy to nurse in and great for layering. ( i sized up for PP life) I have these in solid and striped. Wearin them all day everyday. Also. $10. Add to cart.

-The january tee is an easy postpartum option made by Free People!

Have a great day

xo alex

Week 1 Postpartum & 10 Hacks to surviving the first week PP

My outfit: Free People top | Zella Legging | New Balance sneaks

Hey friends!!

Happy Hump day…although for me right now it seems like groundhog day lol. Allll of the days meld together and I don’t even have a day or night haha #postpartumlife

We welcomed Samson Alexander on January 16, 2019 💙💙we are so over the moon and BLESSED beyond belief

Wanted to give you an update and a few postpartum hacks for every new mama! Below is a few items I have been LIVING in this week cause just give me all the comfiessss.

Barefoot dreams socks- so comfy while the weather has been so cold ||| Barefoot Dreams Cardigan ||| Barefoot Dreams Cardigan || Graphic Tees | Loft Sweats literally the softest things I’ve had on my body!! || Ugg slippers ||

Update:

Birth

Everything went smooth during the surgery. We were scheduled for a 7:30 am, but it went a few minutes late. My spinal worked great and I was actually the most calm I’d been during any of the 3 of my C Sections. I did have some pain when they were taking Sammy out but other than that I felt fine. He had some problems breathing so the first 24 hours was pretty stressful but we got through it! I had a rough 24 hours post surgery, nauseous and throwing up (this didn’t happen with my other two kids)…honestly I felt HORRIBLE. I could hardly open my eyes I feel like…and combine that with trying to nurse your baby, etc. made for a tough day. More about the birth later….

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is going really well other than the fact that I feel like my boobs are the size of Texas and that someone is stabbing me with a knife in the nipple the first 30 seconds after latching… LOL. Its actually not funny though. Its so weird how I’ve nursed for over 2 years total with my other boys and my nipples are so sore still? Like why? It should be one of those things where it hurts the first time and then the next couple times you’ve paid your dues and you’re good- no pain. haha. Actually the whole child birth thing should be like that…who’s with me??!

Its always so crazy “learning” how to breastfeed again. I say “learning” because every baby is different and I feel like you almost forget how to breastfeed a newborn after a couple years. Older babies and toddlers are so different because they have the head control and know how to latch on their own so easily.

Breastfeeding a newborn is tough because you literally have to hold their head in place, and help them latch on and it can almost feel like you need an 7 arms to try and work through those first few feeds. Luckily Sammy caught on after the first day and has been doing great ever since. I definitely think the worst part of the first few days of breastfeeding is getting to know your baby and helping them learn how to eat…but also the engorgement ((and painful nipples!!).

I noticed for sure that the engorgement process got worse each time with each kid. With my second I was in a ton of pain and could hardly sleep when my milk came in…and with baby Samson even more so. I’ve finally JUST come through it and I’m so happy lol. They were rock hard and so sore for 4 days straight. Luckily, they gave me a hand pump at the hospital which helped a little, and this time around I was able to use my pump at home and that helped relieve a little bit. For some reason NOTHING would come out when I tried to express milk with Seb and I just had to keep nursing, and icing and it finally just worked itself out. I have about 30 ounces of milk already in my fridge ((um yes total oversupply over here lol) so I’m off to a good start. Its hard because I don’t want to pump too much; but at the same time I need relief!!
Sammy has already hit his birth weight 6 days after birth and I am so grateful for that! Our bodies really are amazing.

Home

The transition home was pretty seamless, mostly because my older two were still with their grandparents (Thank god!!) .

I stayed an extra day in the hospital- I’m so glad I did. I always get anxious when I get home and can’t take care of things myself. The first night home with Max is one my husband and I will legit never forget LOL. I don’t think we slept more than an hour. he honestly didn’t sleep AT ALL his first night home (haha this should have been foreshadowing for his first 8 months) and all he did was cry.

Seb didn’t sleep great on his first night home, but did ok. Sammy, the same. We were just grateful to settle him in and have some quiet time before the others came home! The boys just got home sunday so we are just trying to transition into 2 kids to 3!! It definitely is a lot louder with them home haha.

My biggest challenge is going to be getting rest and recovery but still carving out time for my two older boys. Also, our oldest is up super early ((like 6 am…ouch)) so there won’t be any sleeping in if I’ve been up all night with the baby. I think I’m going t o be permanantly exhausted the next year…but I guess you have done it twice so you kind of know what to expect. I also feel like right now I’m sleeping better than I was when I was pregnant ha! I had the worst insomnia and was so uncomfortable.

Recovery/Body

After the first initial few days, I am definitely feeling a lot better. I am still trying to sit/lay as much as I can to minimize movement with my incision and am avoiding stairs where I can. I haven’t really needed much pain medication since I came home which is great. Its a slow process but I keep reminding myself that every day I will feel 5% better. I came home from the hospital only dropping 8 pounds (like WHAT lol!!??Thats it?>)

I know from experience a lot of that is fluid retention(let the night sweats begin lol) so I’m trying to not read into it and give it time. My stomach is ((slowly)) going down and I know thats just a process!! I didn’t weigh myself the last 2 days (its been like a circus around here lol) but 5 days PP I was down 13 pounds/out of 35 total gained.

I wanted to share some advice/few of my Postpartum Hacks for surviving the first week postpartum cause it can be rough, yall!

1. Stool softener.: Ok peeps, if this your first kid this is a must have. Just thinking about going #2 PP is enough to make you cringe regardless of how that baby came out. This is my third time around so I knew to ask for it but they did not readily give it to me this time around (not sure why I had to ask) but it helps SOOOO much. Plz take it!

2. Nipple Cream: another must have for any breastfeeding mom. This has been a savior for me…it keeps your nipples hydrated when they get so irritated in the initial phases of breastfeeding.

3. Hospital Stay: I always recommend to people to stay in the hospital as long as you can. Yeah, I know there’s always people coming in your room checking on you, taking your vitals, etc. but BELIEVE me. Stay there as long as you can. Everything is at your finger tips. The second you get home you are instantly more active and have to be more mobile. I stayed in the hospital the full 3 1/2 days this time around and it was 100% better than the previous 2 deliveries.

4. Preparation is key: I can’t stress prep work enough!! Washing babies clothes, blankets, having a nursing station set up, baby items all set up, having items you need for postpartum life readily accessible (like clothes you’ll be wearing). I tried to get as much food prep in as I could too! As the female…you know where everything is so having it set up before hand so your hubby/SO doesn’t have to search for it is super important!

5. Ice Packs will be your BFF: Ice packs for everywhereeeeee. Down there, and for your boobs. Trust me. The best ones are the small kiddie ones from like the dollar store.

6. Belly Bandit: Get a belly bandit. I can’t say enough about this product and giving you support after you have baby…also it helps (I think) shrink the area and keeps your core “all together” and flattens it. Your core went through soooo much so its important to help it those first few weeks/2 months.

7. Rotate activity with rest: This is one I have a hard time with because when I’m home I just want to go, go, go regardless of how little sleep I get! I try to get 20-30 mins of activity (if baby is sleeping) and then the same ratio in rest time-ie. napping, sitting, reading, checking emails..just resting.

8. Take a shower everyday: Before I had my first, I heard these horror stories about people not showering for days so I always made it a priority for myself to shower every day. no matter what. It always made me feel more put together even if my life was a shit show! And my first was horrible - cried all the time-and I had zero help (as in was on my own with him about 8-10 hours per day every day) but I always showered. Self care people.

9. Take items from your hospital room: Use the products at the hospital as a resource and bring them home with you to make your transition home easier. Pads, granny panties, diapers, vaseline…bring it home!!

10. This is a season: Remember that honestly this is a season. things are going to be crazy, chaotic, frustrating, overwhelming…just remember that babies don’t keep. and that this too shall pass…!!!

Haven’t e a great wednesday loves!

xo

Alex

What I packed: Hospital Bag for Baby #3!

Hospital Bag Packing 101!

AHHHH! It’s almost time. I feel like the last 9 months have flown by and I can’t believe I’m going to have another baby! I wanted to share what you REALLY need in your hospital bag because after doing this two times…I know the drill ladies! If there’s anything you think I’ve missed let me know and add in comments.

Keep in mind there are a few items that I have on here that are strictly for C-sections ((but they are lifesavers)) so if you know you are having a section, get them!!

Here we go:

For Baby:

Honestly, the hospital provides SO much. Diapers, wipes (basically use a cloth with water), vaseline, little tops for them to wear while in the hospital, receiving/swaddle blankets, etc. So you honestly don’t need a lot.

Just a going home outfit including a hat-I usually pack 2 or 3. One in Newborn, and one in 0-3 months because you don’t know how big they are going to be! My last two boys were almost 9 lb but did fit into NB for the first week. I also pack 2 of the NB outfits because tbh they poop so much that sometimes they might get poop on their outfit before you actually leave ha! It happened to me with Max so I am glad I packed two outfits!

I pack these swaddles because I am not great at swaddling. They have velcro and are super easy to use, especially when you get home and you don’t have the nurses help 24-7! I also pack paci’s for the way home, and I packed this baby shusher-it was great with Seb when he was a baby. Nothing worse than baby crying in the car!

Also, I love Little Giraffe blankets—they are so warm and cuddly (pricy but I got as a gift and LOVE). I also splurged and bought these little Ugg boots for him because its so cold :) . When you leave, be sure to bring diapers, vaseline, receiving blankets home with you (they are great for wiping spit up, spraying and leaking boobs…for everything lol) Basically what I’m saying is take stuff from the hospital home with you!!!

For Mama

OK, so as I said earlier I might pack a tad bit more because I am in the hospital longer/have a few extra products but I think its always better to be prepared!

1. Most important item: nipple cream. Yall don’t even KNOW how sore the girls are gonna get. I plan on doing a post on breastfeeding (fingers crossed this guy latches smoothly) to give my tips. Its SO HARD the first 2 weeks. You are so tired, boobs hurt, and everytime they latch it feels like a thousand needles! USE THE NIPPLE CREAM. every time after you nurse!!!

2. Comfy Jammies-I ordered these. They are so soft and comfy and run pretty big. Great for nursing.

3. Warm socks-hospitals can be cold!

4. Slippers-these are the uggs I have.

5. Nursing Bras- I have the Cake lingerie bra and its great for nighttime and right when your milk is coming in. My all time favorite are the Ollie Gray’s Bras! Great support, cute, easy to use, comfy!

6. Nursing Tanks- easy access and can be layered!

7. Boppy Pillow- my tried and true boppy makes nursing soooo much easier. I bring this with me to the hospital. I coulden’t have lived without this nursing my two boys each for over a year.

8. Diaper Bag- I love my skip hop bag. I even get compliments when I’m not with the kids. They have other colors, but I’m obsessed with this mauve color. Tons of compartments to keep things organized and has a back area for laptop/ipads/magazines!

9. Makeup wipes & My travel size Tula products

10. Flip flops for using the shower!

11. Super long iphone charger for hospital room (and when you go home and you’re stuck under a sleeping baby! lol)

12. Going home outfit: I love this flowy three dots top (I’ve shared before), and the Nordstrom wrap top is great too (I will be wearing to hospital). My anthro joggers are still in stock and prob what I’ll be wearing home. My Steve Madden sneaks are super fun and easy to get on and off!

13. I love these basic nursing tops from asos- I packed one of these for the hospital.

14. Fuji instax camera- for instant photos of the babe!

15. Leopard print comfy joggers from H & M! So fun and I live in them right now…will be wearing to hospital!

16. C Section items: The C-Panty are great for postpartum incision healing. They are WORTH THE PRICE. They have a silicone spot to go over your incision so there isn’t any rubbing or irritation, and they have compression in them as well. I have 3-4 pairs and wore them every day for the first 2 weeks. Keep in mind you might not need them at the hospital just because you’ll be wearing the hospital granny underwear (and want to wear the granny underwear because…yeah…lots going on down there yikes).

    I also ALWAYS wear a Belly Bandit Postpartum. THIS definitely helped my stomach go down and gave me support through the midsection (you are like the pilsbury dough boy after giving birth! Stomach is mush!!! LOL)

    .I swear you can see a difference in wearing it for just like 6 hours. I’ve also purchased for the first time the Belly Bandit C Section Panty version-I’m hoping this is more comfy for my C-section while giving me the compression and support that the Belly Bandit gave me for the first week or so when my incision is so fresh and healing.

17. I pack my own hospital gowns for post surgery. If you are delivering natural, you can wear these from the get go! I love that they are cute, but the back is CLOSED. Also, they have snap buttons on the sides to make it really easy to nurse. Usually that first day I don’t even get dressed so I just throw this on and feel totally covered and at least somewhat cute. I do have to wear the hospital provided gown for my surgery for obvious reasons. (scroll down and I linked the one I have comes in tons of designs)

18. I always have my Medela pump readily available incase baby doesn’t latch, along with my fave nursing pads for leaking. I also pack a latch assister from Lanisoh- my left boob happens to be a bit harder for my babies to latch on to so it just pulls it out. Sorry TMI but I thought I would share because you never know if someone else is having the same problem! I also pack a nipple shield (sometimes I need this for my left boob as well. See below for all of these products! I linked all these below on amazon.

A few other things to pack:

-Makeup/toiletries
-Towel (the towels are always small at the hospital so i always bring one of my own!)
-Any snacks you need/want
-Computer/Ipad, charger
-Magazines
-Water Bottle- Water is crucial for recovery as well as for breastfeeding!!
-Hair ties- these are my tried and trues!!
-I linked my suitcase here. It is great for organization, 4 way roller, and I get compliments every time I travel with it!!
I totally recommend bringing home everything from the hospital like PADS (they are huge and amazing lol), granny underwear that they provide, bath sitzer if you give birth vaginally…) Trust me!!!

I also plan on running to Target today to get little bags from the Dollar section and filling it with snacks/goodies for the nurses! Those nurses are your besties! Look after them!!

I hope this post helped you guys pack for your trip to the hospital!

xo

Alex

Change, 38 weeks Pregnant & Saturday Spotlight

38 weeks Pregnant….Change….& Saturday Spotlight

Change. The only thing that is constant in life.

I just dropped the boys off at the airport and I was literally dying inside. All thats been on my mind the last few days is how different everything is going to be when they get back. I’ve been trying to soak in my mornings with Seb while Max is at school, family dinners and breakfasts…ahhhh. Not going to lie, pretty much in tears when I went to the car. Knowing the changes ahead of us, that nothing will be the same, how did this all go so fast??! I know they’re going to have a blast (my oldest was up at 5:20 am ready to go LOL) but its never easy in these moments knowing tons of changes are coming your way. I’m so excited; yet scared, anxious, sad, so many emotions. Here’s to our new normal of a family of 5!

That’s not to say a small part of me is basking in the fact that In the next few days I don’t need to bend over with my huge bump 83939 times a day to change diapers…or pick up toys, put toys together lol, put shoes, coats, gloves, on/take off my toddler, etc. haha.

Or the fact that I’m on no timeline. WHAT? I don’t have to be home at a certain time for the kids or bring them everywhere. So foreign to me.

But still….miss them so much already.

6 am bright and early ready for sunshine and Mickey Mouse with their grandparents!!!!

So…for now I’m going to distract myself with a fun post about my 10 faves of the week!

Saturday Spotlight

things I’m loving right now….

1. DYSON BLOWDRYER. Um yes. Yall. This is life changing. I have super thick hair and I swear I put off my whole hair washing process till the last possible moment cause it takes forrrrever. And also #momlife and I’m slightly lazy abt it haha. I got the dyson blowdryer for Christmas (just the basic one) and honestly I can’t say enough about it. I know its a huge investment…but if you have thick hair and are super busy (who isn’t??!!) you need this. Also, if you have to wash your hair a lot (like every day), it is a must have. This blowdryer has made my hair way softer than my old dryer, my blowout lasts longer and honestly it is SO quiet and dries my hair in like 5 minutes (and I have sooo much hair).

2. I love this Gleaming Heart Roadtrip sweater for Valentines Day and its almost 50% on the rack!

3. This Topshop Belted dress has been on my wishlist for like…weeks now and its under $50

4. This Abercrombie Long Turtleneck sweater is 50% and comes in a ton of colors…

5. This purple pom beanie from Abercombie is so stinking cute and unique and the price is SO good.

6. I’m a sucker for stripes and need to snag a few of these AERIE striped tees for postpartum and layering.

7. Isle of Paradise Self Tanner: I have super fair skin and love to have color. I was never good at finding a good self tanner. Over the last year I’ve liked the Josie Maran Argan Gold but it does get on your clothes/sheets after application if you go to bed after and I wish it lasted longer. Enter Isle of Paradise tanning water (or the drops I heard are really good). I AM OBSESSED. It doesn’t leave any residue on my sheets after application, its SUPER Dark, lasts for 3-5 days, doesn’t come off on my clothes and it has a slight smell but honestly the next day I can’t even smell it. It took me one application to figure out how to use it and make sure it was even. All of my posts lately I’ve had it on. Its a MUST. FYI I use Dark.

8. The double up Ardell lashes are my new fave- add soooo much volume!

9. This Jcrew factory pom hat is GOALS. Can you tell I love my winter hats? Also comes in black/pink!!

10. I’m on the hunt for nursing friendly clothes and this ruffle trim wrap top from Jcrew factory is perfect…and feminine. I also love their tissue turtlenecks. Save 50% off on 2 or more items, 60% off on 3 or more items, and 70% off 4 or more items from clearance!! YAS.

Hope you all have an amazing weekend.

XO

Alex

Tips for Surviving pregnancy with littles

Perspective: a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.

It’s amazing how as you walk along the journey of life, perspective changes as you are faced with different circumstances, grow older ((and wiser LOL)).

My pregnancy is finally coming to a close, and its amazing how my viewpoint of pregnancy has changed with each child. Some of thats due to experience, some of it maturity and age. And some of it is just down to rolling with the punches and taking things in stride even if you have no idea how you’re going to cope.

First pregnancies

I definitely didn’t think pregnancy was hard with my first from a physical standpoint-I felt good, slept pretty well, etc. , but looking back there are so many things I would have changed about my mindset.

There’s something so special (and EASY LOL) about your first and I was so devastated about missing a year in my professional soccer career that it consumed me. I can’t blame myself, but its always a thought on my mind how I never soaked up the pregnancy. I find with the second and consecutive pregnancies you have no TIME to enjoy it because you’re so frickin busy!

Pregnancies with multiple kids

Anyway, fast forward to my second and having a toddler to run around after while being pregnant made pregnancy sooo much harder. From getting more sleep/rest, having time to get things done, to fitting workouts in it was for sure a challenge. But I thjnk with everything we are faced with, you somehow get it done.

When we found out we were having a third, I knew it was going to be extremely challenging with a toddler and preschooler. But, as I close in on 38 weeks, somehow I made it through in one piece!!

I wanted to share my thoughts and some tips for those of you embarking on the pregnancy journey with 2 ((really really)) young kids and some things that helped me get through the pregnancy. Now the postpartum period? haha. We’ll see how I survive that…wish me luck. haha :P

Tips for survival!

1. Take advantage of bursts of energy/days you feel good! This one is huge! When I’ feeling physically good, I tackle bigger projects/chores etc. so on the days I’m more tired or feeling super heavy I can do some lower key things.

2. At night wait to sit down: This one was huge for me. I always felt like a hot mess in the morning if after the kids went to bed that I just sat on the couch. Taking 15-20 mins, no matter how tired I was, at organizing things made mornings SO much smoother. Especially since I wasn’t really being productive on the couch anyway! Straightening up, and setting things up for the next morning really made my life SO so much easier in the long run. It also allowed me the option of sleeping a little later in the morning knowing things were set up downstairs. Once I sit down at night I feel like I can’t get up and then the morning is chaotic. because I’m playing catch up!

3. Have your older sibling help as much as possible: my oldest is 4 1/2, so I try to get him to help me as much as possible. I think this is probably even easier with a girl, but my little man has done a decent job. Helping his brother take shoes, coat, etc off, hanging things up, grabbing something for me upstairs, filling up sippy cups for him and his brother full of water, fixing a toy for his little brother has been really important because it limits putting me in awkward positions with the bump. Also, when baby comes my youngest will be used to his brother helping so it won’t be a big deal if I’m busy with baby.

4. Making them independent: Piggy backing off the above- I have tried super hard to make them as independent as possible over the last few months. Not only for me physically right now, but trying to set the stage for arrival of baby 3. Max is a really early riser (like 6 am) SO…we’ve trained him when he wakes up, he dresses himself and comes downstairs on his own and plays (even though 90% of the time I am already up right now…I might not be in a couple weeks haha). He can obviously dress himself with coats, hats, shoes, jackets, and Getting his own school bag ready, buckling his own car seat are all examples, I’ve tried to work hard with getting Seb to get undressed on his own with shoes, coat, etc. but that process is a little slower because he has just turned 2.

5. Enlist help: This one is obviously a given. I have someone come to the house for when I’m at work but its pretty much for when I’m at the office. If you have friends or family offering to take your kids or even ONE (because one is one and two is twenty amirite??!!) just take them up on it. I definitely need to be better asking for help at times but this pregnancy I asked some family and friends every now and again to help, especially when the kids were sick.

   I am lucky because both boys nap at the same time, so if I wanted to nap when I’m home and not at work I can ( probably have taken 3 naps this whole pregnancy LOL, I’m not really a napper) but if your oldest doesn’t nap anymore, and you need a rest, get yo self some HELP!!! YOU DONT GET A MEDAL FOR DOING IT ALL ON YOUR OWN. end of story.

6. Get amazon prime: LOL. This is kind of a joke, but not really. Especially because I work, I do a lot of shopping online. It allows me more time with either my kids, resting, or doing things I want to be doing and not stressing with traffic, lines in the store, and maybe moving around when I’m not feeling great. Also see: LUGGING TWO KIDS to the store.

7. Pick and choose your errand time: This is piggybacking off the above- I try to avoid bringing them to any store with me especially if I’m not feeling great. Some days I have no choice (grocery day) but if I have to run to target, I might wait a few days until I know when they’re both in school or my husband will be home. I’m more focused and efficient when I’m on my own for sure. With that being said, I’ve made my fair share of trips with both boys (way too many!!!) and sometimes you just get it done!!

8. Lower your expectations: Your kids are kids. they don’t care if they have an activity every day, Ignore pinterest and anything that makes you feel like you’re not doing enough!! Kids actually love routine. Embrace that and don’t try and reinvent the wheel and kill yourself with activities and trips making your day super busy!! Both of my boys are pretty content outside or playing with their toys in all honesty so don’t kill yourself trying to cram things in. THEY DON’T CARE!! As long as they are with YOU thats all they care about. That being said, know when to get out of the house- sometimes its necessary…like when all they are doing is fighting lol.

9. Find me time: I know self-care is a HUGE hype word right now but for me, setting aside 15 mins for a bath, or putting my makeup on in the morning is what I NEED to feel good about myself and happy. Carve out a few minutes here and there for things that you want to do whether its work out, pamper yourself, read, whatever…

10. Lastly, just remember that as long as they are healthy and loved, you’re doing a great job. That means its ok if they have PBJ two days in a row, or watch too much TV one day because you’re tired. You’re growing a human. Thats hard AF.

Have a great day loves xo

Alex

Running while Pregnant: My journey & tips for the Pregnant Runner

six hundred and sixty one miles.

1,057,600 meters. 3,490,080 feet.

three pregnancies.

and just like that, its over.

My pregnancy running journey is complete.

It’s been 10 days since I last ran and at the end of it, I think I knew inside that I was done. But I sat on it a few days before I made up my mind because there have been times (many times) during pregnancy where I’ve not felt great and then the next day woke and felt a 1000 times better and it was like the previous day never happened.

So, I waited out those days…and nahhh. I’m pretty sure my body is done and dusted with lugging this guy around!!!

I feel gratitude, for my body allowing me to continue something that is so important to me (fitness). I feel relief in a way, that its all over. I feel a little bit of disappointment in myself for not being able to make it all the way until 39 weeks when I deliver ((I guess thats the type A in me ).

But, most of all I feel PROUD, because its not easy to be consistent during pregnancy with workouts or running and I was able to accomplish that.

My first two pregnancies:

With my first pregnancy, I ran up until my due date. My son came 6 days late. With my second, I ran until 2 days before my planned C-Section (39 + 2). My last run with my current and final pregnancy was at 35 +4 weeks.

I’m sure some of you who don’t know me probably think this is crazy. Especially if I told you my first two babies were 8 lb 10 oz or bigger…LOL!! ( we will see how big this guy gets!!).

As y’all know, in pregnancy, everything is based around the baby. and how I’m feeling. which is such a catch 22 because we as women literally have no control over how we feel…!!!

Pregnancy was HARD AF for me with all babies, especially baby 1. I was so USED to just pushing through everything! I coulden’t get past how my body just woulden’t do/I coulden’t do what I wanted to! After all, I had pushed my body to the limit for so many years playing professional soccer. So many hormonal, mental and physical changes, wrapping my head around bringing a baby into the world…it was overwhelming!!

Third pregnancy running

As my pregnancy progressed along this time around, I was completely aware at how much bigger I got so much earlier. I was completely aware that it would be the middle of winter my last month…which might affect my ability to get outside. Cold, snow, darkness, ice were all things on my mind.

I know this is silly, but I set an internal goal of reaching December (knowing all these factors) and once I reached that date, I would take it day for day. ((Obviously, if I ever didn’t feel good or there was an issue with the baby I would never put anything at risk and would stop)).

I say its silly because…if any of you have been pregnant, you know there are so many factors out of your control when it comes to pregnancy! Setting this goal wasn’t just mind over matter and “how bad do you want it? or “no excuses, get it done” like I spoke about above!

And then one day, (after my goal, LOL!!) It just stopped feeling natural. Stopped feeling good. And when that happened, I always vowed to call it a day. So I did.

My WHY

Why run you ask?

1. I like being active and healthy, pregnant or not. Enough said. You can google any study anywhere and read about pregnancy and working out. Good for mom, good for baby. Good, good, good.

2. It made me feel like myself…even if I was slower and bigger. This was probably my number one reason for continuing. This was especially important to me during pregnancy 1 when I struggled big time with my growing body and embracing the new use for my body. So many changes physically & emotionally…

   Before, everything I did with my body was results oriented. How can I get faster? Stronger? Better on the ball? How many times can I train in one day? What can I eat to make me a better athlete?

   This all quickly shifted to becoming a home for a little baby for 9 months. So….. that 30-40 minutes when my feet hit the pavement, I grinded out a sweat, and sometimes (especially early on) forgot I was pregnant. It was just me, and the roads doing our thing. It made me HAPPY and kept me grounded for those 9 months.

3. Running is something i’ve done my whole life and it felt natural. It’s not like I woke up one day and had a huge bump. The progression was so slow that it was very gradual and gentle as I got bigger. It probably would have been weirder for my body to just stop!!!

4. It kept my swelling at bay. Sure, I definitely got swollen but nowhere near what i have seen other pregnant mama’s and I know its due to my consistent activity level!

5. Weight Control: I’ve gained a healthy 33-35 lbs, with my first, 40 with my second and I’m on track for around 35-37 with my current pregnancy. Being active and running has definitely helped keep my weight in a healthy target area and made recovery A LOT easier.

   It’s no walk in the park though…
   

   I’d be lying if I said I enjoyed every run. I’d be lying if I said I wanted to be out there every single time. I’d be lying if I said it was easy, or didn’t take any discipline. It sure as hell did. But I look back on my journey with great pride, and so fondly as memories with my babies before they came into this world.

   Advice for Pregnant Runners/ Beginner Runners:

   If I could pass along any advice to fellow runners who have just become pregnant and want to continue their regiment, I would offer the following as advice. Some of this advice can be applied to people who aren’t pregnant who are looking to take up running!

   1. SPEAK TO YOUR DOCTOR FIRST. Everyone’s pregnancy is different, and what i did may not be right for you!!!

   2. Change your mindset: Whether you are a recreational runner or a competitive runner, changing your mindset is CRUCIAL. Knowing that you’re out there for the movement, the sweat, the endorphins, etc. rather than actually hitting mileage, splits, times….if you don’t change this mindset, you won’t last long and it certainly won’t be enjoyable!

   3. Invest in good workout gear: Without comfortable running clothes/proper gear running while pregnant can become virtually impossible. I’ve shared my favorites over the course of my 600+ miles (see below)

   4. Find your time: For me, I always felt better early in the morning. My bladder and stomach were fairly empty which led to less bathroom breaks, pressure and any digestion issues. Try out different times of day to see when you feel best.

   5. One day at a time: Don’t get too high off a great run, or too low on a bad run. 9 months is a long time and there will be days where you’re running pre-pregnancy times and feeling like a 100 bucks…and other days where you can’t finish your run, never go, or just feel tired and lethargic. Don’t jump to any conclusions and just roll with it! The part that counts is YOU SHOWED UP.

   6. Intervals: So many of my runs were intervals, whether it was “sprint” for 100 yards, then jog…and repeat for time or a number of sets… or repeat 400s with 3 minutes of rest in between! I always felt like this made the runs more enjoyable knowing I was able to keep a faster pace than a longer run, and knowing I was torching some fat as well!

   7. Take breaks: there’s no shame in stopping to walk, or stretch for a minute or two!

   8. Know when to call it a day: I felt great with my first two pregnancies and tried to not put too much pressure on myself to make it to “running full term with all three babies”. I’m super goal oriented and tbh I would have loved to do that ((sighhhh)). In saying that, Know when to call it a day…when it doesn’t feel good, or feel natural. Any running while pregnant is something to be proud of whether its 3 weeks, 3 months or 9 months!!

Now…on to share my pregnancy running/workout must haves!

1. Gabrialla waist support: I ran with this with all three babies and was a life saver!! This is a must!

2. Body Glide-With my first two pregnancies I had a litrle bit of chafe going on because it was so hot. This was a life saver where my sports bra was, and on my thighs! Things start rubbin when you get bigger! You can get this on amazon!

3. Good running shoes- your feet will naturally swell so having a good pair is important. The brooks ghost is my favorite!

4. A good sports Bra- my fave is the Brooks Juno. The girls don’t move AT ALL and the straps allow for nursing when the baby comes (cause once that milk comes in…sister watch out! LOL) I do have to say its not super easy to get on but its worth it to keep them strapped in! Perf for running or any high impact!!!

5. My zella leggings- great to run in especially in cooler months. I wear these also 24-7. These are the ULTIMATE leggings for pregnancy. You can work out in them, dress them up, wear them casually. They are just bomb. If they come back in stock, SNAG them ASAP!!! Great quality.

6. These Gap tank tops are my favorite.

7. these Old Navy fleeces are super comfy, great for layering and working out in.

8. I love this long sleeve mock neck top from Gap to run in

9. Basic Gap tees- long sleeve (for winter), tanks (for summer), and tees (layerin and for summer) were super easy to throw on also and run in!

   Unfortunately the patterned Isabel Maternity for Target leggings are all sold out…but those were big on my workout rotation! Check out target for some of their maternity leggings to work out in!

I hope this post helps any of you mamas to be with questions about running while pregnant!

xo

Alex

Peanut Butter Blondie's Maternity Favorites!

34 weeks with baby 3! Happy Saturday everyone!

This post has been on the back of my mind for weeks now and I wanted to get it out this week! I had another post planned as well (holiday dress wear) for those of you still looking for your Christmas outfits but I’ll try to get that one up by early next week.

Things have been crazy with my boys being sick, especially my youngest with an ear infection. I’m a little behind on here, and I’ve got boat loads of wrapping to do! Yikes! I think we are on the mend finally, once we got some meds he has been feeling sooo much better thank god! There is nothing worse than sick little babies :(

Anyway, obviously I have been pregnant three times so I have had a lot of time for trial and error on maternity fashion and what feels and looks good. I also love to look good, but also be comfortable! Especially because with my last 2 pregnancies I have been running after other kids , and even my first I was doing a ton of coaching through the whole pregnancy!

There have been so many things that I have either ordered and hated, or wore a couple times, and realized after wear that it didn’t work (ie. fell down, too much pressure on stomach, stretched out, etc.) and I don’t want you all to make the same mistake!!

SO. I have made a huge list of all my maternity faves. I have tried to mix winter and summer stuff in here but that is hard because its the dead of winter! LOL. Also…a lot of this stuff is neutrals…so sorry if it is boring colors lol…I build around it with accessories, oversized sweaters, tunics, cardigans, etc because you’re only pregnant for so long so you don’t want to completely buy a ton! ALSO…these can be GREAT gifts if you have a loved one who is newly pregnant!! Trust me, giving the Zella Leggings is like the GOLDEN ticket for a pregnant mama!!

I also plan on doing a blog post on some of my favorite transitional pieces which are great for first trimester (and even second if you are carrying small or a first time mom). These pieces generally are also perfect for that transitional postpartum period when you’re not back to your normal size but want to feel good and wear regular (not maternity) clothing!! These are all clothes I would wear even if I wasn’t pregnant and most were already in my closet anyway!

I plan on doing a post potentially next week or over Christmas on my favorite workout gear while pregnant so I will have a few more options on different items then! I hope this helps you pregnant mamas….!!xo

……Talking My Favorites…..

1. My number 1 on the list has to be the Maternity Zella Leggings. I wear these basically every day. Amazing quality, can be dressed up or down, they are the BEST. Hands down, the number one item I can’t live without. These fit TTS, select your pre-pregnancy size.

2. Second thing I wear the most is the Pure Body Tees/Long sleeve tees. I wear these under sweaters, coats, to run in, perfect for layering. They are cotton, super comfy and cheap when you get them on sale. Must have. (Gap always has 30-50% off sales!)

3. Same as above but long sleeve option!

4. Finding jeans can be tough. I’ve found that I like the old navy rockstar ones the best. I’ve honestly tried every designer brand and I like these the best! Like Gap, they have good sales so get them on sale (I believe right now these are on sale too!) These don’t fall down too much, are comfy and look good. Note that the dark wash of these run a little smaller. I got the second smallest size for reference.

5. Spanx faux leather leggings maternity! f-these are great to head out to dinner or dress up your every day outfit. I did find they slipped a little but I think I needed to size down to the XS. They look amazing though and are definitely comfortable and you can move in them.

6. I love these fleeces They are great to and from the gym or even just at home. I used them also to run in. Run TTS.

7. Love me some overalls! TTS and super cute…as seen in my photo!!

8. Distressed overalls…comfy and so cute! Can transition from winter to spring, can be worn in summer or fall and a warmer winter day!!

9. I didn’t love the blue wash of the madewell maternity jeans, but I loved the black ones. I lived in them in Paris. Great color, super comfy. TTS to madewell brand (which usually runs a little big)

10. This is a great non maternity dress that you can wear through all stages of pregnancy and AFTER. Its a flattering fit. Not pregnant I usually size up to a S, and when pregnant M. Its on sale right now as well and comes in tons of colors! Here is the tank version!

11. My favorite maternity workout tank

12. Cutest suit

13. This vest is great for layering during fall/winter/spring! I have this in black.

14. Cozy sweater and great fit and price ! Comes in tons of colors.

15. Cutest tee!

16. Joggers are my Go-to. These always sell out!

17. This is for sure my favorite sports bra to wear when I’m pregnant for high impact activities- running, etc. It keeps your girls in place and it also has straps for nursing so when you have the baby you can wear this as well. It is definitely harder to get on but for me its totally worth it because my chest size increases like 3 times when pregnant and nursing so I need the tight support!

18. My winter jacket-

Congrats and let me know if you have any questions about anything!

xo

Alex

Family friendly Breakfast & 16 Weeks Bumpdate

Happy Friday! I'm rocking in today at 4 months pregnant...I can't believe it! Hope you all have some fun plans for this summer weekend :) 

Guilt free Family friendly Breakfast:

I wanted to share with all of you an awesome breakfast that is great for the whole family! I know that sometimes it is such a struggle to make only ONE meal for the whole family..especially when you are trying to eat healthy ((hello fellow moms of picky eaters!)).

Introducing...Kodiak Cake Buttermilk Pancakes. The macros (Protein, fat, carbs) on these bad boys are AWESOME, and they taste great. Our boys love them and we usually top them with syrup or honey for the kids. Right now ((because I'm a little bit of IDGAF about nutrition sometimes ha)) I usually top mine with syrup too haha #pregnancyprobs. A healthier more clean option would be to top with either Walden farms sugar free syrup ( I haven't tried, I've seen a lot of people use though) or a nut butter- Peanut butter, almond butter, etc. 

These are literally IDIOT proof to cook (I am a decent cook but for some reason pancakes aren't on the top of my list of great meals I can cook), and you can play up the protein content with adding milk and egg. YES- that means the mixture needs NOTHING else. So, those days that you have nothing left in the house (read: no eggs), you can still make these suckers. 

I get mine at Wegmans but I'm sure you can snag them online. 

BumpDate: 

16 weeks pregnant! Boom! Another month and we will be halfway there. I've had a killer week of workouts and can't wait to have a day off tomorrow and rest my body! Weight gain is staying steady at 9 pounds. I have my anatomy scan scheduled in a few weeks before we go out of town, so fingers crossed everything is okay. I've started to stock up on maternity basics (short sleeve and long sleeve tees, leggings, etc.) for the upcoming months. By mid September I think I'll be hard pressed to find too much of my closet that fits properly! Ha! I'll be doing a post on my maternity must haves and brands I love for fit, comfort, and quality so keep an eye out for that! 

Hope you all have a great weekend! xo

Alex

3 things I love about being a Mom & Gift Ideas for your Mom

I love the month of May- more sunshine, longer days, outside time, and the smell of the spring air. Its also a fun holiday month with Memorial Day at the end of the month kicking off summer and of course, Mothers Day! 

Today I'm sharing 3 things I love about being a mom and some gift ideas for your amazing mom! I'm pretty sure we are all highly indebted to our mother's before we are even out of the womb because lets be real: pregnancy isn't for the birds and labor? Yeah, there's no gift or money in the world that can pay someone back for that ish lol. #speakingfromexperience #stillhavePTSD

Then you have the sleepless nights, toddler tantrums, the 80358 messes a day, late night homework sessions, cheauffering to soccer practice...I could go on for hours. Mom's are the real MVP. Bottom line. 

When they say being a mom changes everything, you never fully understand what they mean until you actually hold your little one. And even though your life seems to be turned upside down almost instantly in every way possible being a mom is one of the most amazing experiences ever. There are moments that you laugh until your cheeks hurt, and moments where you cry ugly Kim Kardashian tears and think you can't go on another minute. But growing little humans from the lows of the low, to the highs of the highs is the most rewarding job you'll ever do. Here are 3 things that come to mind when I think of what I love about being a mom: 

1. Appreciation: I felt like I was pregnant for 40 years, not 40 weeks. Labor was horrible, and my first baby was colic. Within the first 2 weeks of having my first, I was legitimately convinced my mom was some sort of SUPERHERO for having 3 tiny humans. Of course I've always appreciated what my mom has done, but I think until you go through it yourself you never really fully understand. Becoming a mom has completely put a new perspective and appreciation on what my mom has sacrificed for me, and honestly makes me love her even more! 

2. Fulfillment: Its funny how before winning soccer games was the "be-all end all" for me, or my workouts would make or break my day. Being a mom has given me such a greater purpose beyond who I am as an individual. Seeing the boys face light up at the smallest things, or teaching them something new is more fulfilling than anything else could ever be! Knowing that I get to help shape their character and impact on the world makes me not sweat the small stuff at work and gives me true purpose. 

3. Home: I've heard the saying “Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body.” This coulden't be more true, and honestly scares me thinking of when the boys gets older and they're on their own.

But at the end of the day, what gives me peace is you'll always be HOME to your children. Where they go for all the basic necessities of life when they're babies: milk, warmth, touch. Where they go when they're toddlers and are shy, are hurt, or want cuddles. And where they'll go for advice, comfort, money(lol), and a home cooked meal when they are off in college. Nothing fills my heart more knowing I'm HOME for my boys. 

Alright, back to Mother's Day. Below I've rounded up some great gifts that I think any mom would love at all different price points. And remember, the best gift you can give your mom is your time! Get her a great gift, and spend some time together, and love on her! She deserves it! 

1. Ugg slippers: Worth the hype and these are on sale for $65! 

2. Barefoot Dreams Cardigan: This cardi is my favorite to wear around the house. So soft but not too bulky or thick. The material is literally dreamy, and its has pockets. 

3. I love this Bezel and Bytes Chunky Chain for your Apple Watch. A great alternative to dress up mom's apple watch!

4. Birkenstocks: You guys know how I feel about these! Anyone can pull them off, even if they are just a "casual" sandal, they're so comfortable, mold to your feet and last forever. 

5. If your mom is active, the Apple Watch is an awesome gift! That has some amazing features if its in your budget. 

6. Lush Bath Bombs are a nice treat for any mom at the end of a long day.

7. The Sprocket is a really unique gift which allows you to print smaller photos from your phone! I love that you can throw these in your wallet, on your fridge or in your office. 

8. These Venus Roses are AMAZING. Yes, they are pricy ((super pricy)) but they really do last a year, and the smell is incredible!! Someone has actually bought these for me before, and I loved them! They have every color you can imagine and are a great gift. 

9. I know that getting a vacuum isn't a luxurious gift, but for me a gift that makes me more efficient with my time is a WIN. This Dyson is cordless, light, and sucks everything up in sight- Perfect for mom and pet moms! No more lugging around a huge vacuum or a broom. Also, you can use a 20% off coupon at Bed Bath and Beyond to get it discounted! 

10. Yankee candle has super cute personalized candles for Mothers Day. You can pick your scent and add a photo. I think this is a great inexpensive, thoughtful gift for Mother's Day. 

11. The Clarisonic Mia is a must have for any woman! 

12. This may seem ridiculous, but I've heard these Sonicare Diamond Clean are literally the best toothbrushes ever created. Your teeth are something people see everyday, so this might be worth the splurge for your mom if she's been wanting one. (Again, use the 20% off coupon at BB and beyond)

Hope some of these ideas help! Have a great day everyone! 

xo 

Alex

Documenting the lasts....Weaning

Hi friends..

I've been trying to write this post for a few days now and wasn't even really sure where to begin because this is something so dear and important to my heart. But I knew I had to share this because I know there are other mamas struggling with this decision every day and I hope that at the very least I can help them with the process, or at the very least, give them comfort that what they are feeling is normal. So, here I go. 

We always document the firsts. First smile, first tooth, first step, first word, first day of school. 

But the lasts? We rarely know when those have passed us by. 

I’m not sure if it’s worse to know it’s your last time- or have that fleeting moment pass you by quickly. 

My heart feels like it’s in pieces because our nursing relationship is over. A part of me has been waiting for this moment for months. Waiting for this independence. Waiting to actually sleep. Waiting to have my body back. But on the other hand, the snuggles. the closeness. The moments I cherish would be over. For those of you who did breastfeed (and enjoyed it), you know that your nursing defines your relationship with your child for so long, and without it, you feel lost. It's like home. 

My oldest weaned himself at 13 months and almost without warning which was hard- never “knowing” it was my last time with him. I always wished I knew and could have savored that last time. This time around, I was the one to slowly start the process and it sure wasn’t easy. In any way- mentally, physically, emotionally. I loved those moments where it was just him and I. Even though I was exhausted, I already miss those middle of the night snuggles; where the world stopped and it was just him and I, in our chair. 

It’s so crazy how there is so much information and help “how to” breastfeed.. but when it comes to weaning?  I felt so lost- and I know other women are in this boat. My hope is that there are breastfeeding mamas out there, even just one, that reads this and gains something out of it- even if its just a moment of relief that your feelings are completely normal. 

Motherhood is this crazy balancing act of trying to hold on to each and every moment, but also celebrating any milestone in which you gain an ounce of independence back into your life. And its hard. Really. Really. Hard. 

Why

I'm sure you're all wondering why I would wean if I was so attached to it, and am so torn up inside about it.

Seb is slowly approaching 18 months and I first and foremost am exhausted. I loved my nighttime snuggles and miss them but 18 months is a long time to go without real solid sleep.

Secondly...actually do I really need a second reason? lol #sleeptrumpseverything 

In all seriousness, Reason 2 is Seb and I have a pretty deep bond ...for obvious reasons. I think its been hard for my hubby to get time with Seb because he's always wanting me at night, before naps, bedtime..and a lot of the time it was spilling over into the day which wasn't fair to anyone in our family, including Max.

Additionally, I’ve been chomping at the bit to really get my body back 100%.  I’m glad I was patient with the nursing and took my time because I would have regretted weaning him a few months earlier. I know in big scheme of things, a few months is just a blip on the radar. But...its time. 

Lastly, the older he gets the more difficult it’s going to get to wean because everything is a routine in life including breastfeeding, and  I didn't want to be in a situation where it’s really really difficult emotionally for him to wean.

How

I had a trip planned with just Max down to Florida with my parents and my niece who is 9 months older than Max. It took me awhile to commit to the trip because I was so torn leaving Seb behind for 5-6 days. But in the back of my mind I knew this would be the perfect opportunity for him to bond with my husband, wean him (if I could), and also have me some one on one time with Max. As I'm sure some of you know, you spend SO much time with your new baby the first year or so that your time with your oldest gets to be so limited. I knew I HAD to take this trip. 

2.5 weeks before I left, I started dropping feeds. This really didn’t go very well. I started with the morning feed and every morning for almost 10 days straight he asked for “night night”. I tried to distract, distract, distract as much as I could with juice, vitamin gummies, etc! I think it was hard for him because he didn’t understand why I wouldn’t feed him in the morning but I would before nap, and at night. This is when I realized this trip would be perfect and drawing it out (weaning slowly over a 3-4 months period time) would almost be harder on both of us. I don’t want to say to go “cold turkey” as advice  because I didn’t exactly do that-but like I said -I feel like he was confused and started wanting it more when I started dropping feeds. Going quicker (over a 3-4 week period) worked better for my baby and I. 

I left the house the 2 days prior to leaving for my trip during his nap time and had someone else put him down so that eliminated the naptime feed. Cue to me leaving the house, and bursting into tears in the car because well, #allofthefeels. 

My last time nursing Seb I tried to take in every second and bottle up the memory. I stayed with him a little longer than I would normally and just savored my time with him. I left for my trip on the Friday night and the first night he cried quite a bit, which was to be expected. I honestly had probably missed 15 nap/ bedtimes in 18 months! My husband comforted him as best as possible but as you know a change in routine is hard for anyone, especially a toddler. Each night it got better and by night 3 he wasn’t waking anymore. 

I pumped twice a day at the start of the trip and then dropped down to once. When I got back home from the trip, before I put him down for a nap he asked for it and cried out a little for me when I left the room but he went to sleep which was a relief. 

The hardest moment was that night- the first night I was back and put him down to bed without our nursing session for the first time. I felt so empty inside. Its so hard to explain but my heart literally hurt. But I knew it was the right time.  He called my name for 3-5 mins.( tbh he does this sometimes after nursing anyway) He eventually fell asleep after a few minutes and slept through the night. 

The Aftermath

Once I got home, after my first night back, he asked for "night-night" 3 more times and hasn't looked back since. I still miss it, but its been great to have anyone put Seb down to bed/naptime and I definitely think Seb was able to bond with his father in ways that he woulden't have been able to otherwise. Also, we all sleep much better and everyone is more healthy when we are rested, including Seb :) We've settled into a routine and I think we are all adjusting pretty well.  

From a physical standpoint, I was looking forward to weaning and getting the "surge" of energy I got after Max weaned. I think because I did more of a "mother led weaning" approach this time, the hormones really hit me hard. I felt like I was pregnant again (I'm not..lol!)..I felt so tired..like the debilitating 1st trimester tiredness. I finally am starting to feel much better now thankfully! 

All in all, I feel so blessed to have had so many amazing moments with my boy breastfeeding and while this chapter has closed, I'm excited to see what the next one will bring....

love to you all and Happy Easter

xo

Alex

Easter Basket Ideas

Hey friends. Hope you are all doing well and ready for Easter! YES y'all. Easter is under 2 weeks away. I know nobody has even THOUGHT about easter because...snow...but its going to be here before we know it. I am down in Florida with Max for a few days and this warm weather has got me feeling ALLL of the Easter things. 

Ok. So. Real talk...How many of us are running around the day or two before the "easter bunny" hops to our house scrambling to get little items to fill it? This is so me...so I thought I would make a little guide for those of you who are going to get 90% of your gifts from amazon Prime (like me lol)..This also helps me get my act together and be more organized :) 

Here are some of my favorites that I picked out with everything on amazon, most of it prime. I mean how did our moms exist without prime?!! #itsamystery #theyarerockstars

These 3 Easter books: Mickey, Llama Llama, and Elmo! 

Play-doh is always a fan favorite

My husband goes crazy with the crayola bath markers but this I think makes the bath fun without as much cleanup as the markers! Crayola Bath Dropz

Calling all boy moms! These eggs filled with small construction vehicles are sure to be a hit! 

I love these sidewalk chalks veause they have a holder and nobodys hands will get super chalky! 

I love anything from Melissa and Doug- they are so great working children's creativity. Here they have bracelets to make (girls) and this decorate your own airplane (boys). In addition, they have Water reveal pads for Bible stories. I love this because it reinforces the bible during craft time!

My oldest boy is obsessed with Paw Patrol, so I'll be getting him these Paw Patrol Bath Toys. This one is rubble! 

For a more practical gift, you could throw in these Playtex Sippy Cups. They are the best and never ever leak! 

Every kid growing up has had an etch a sketch! Here's a fun one from Amazon with great reviews

Crayola is a lifesaver when it comes to their "mess free" products. These are two of my favorites:

Mess Free Markers & paper

Mess Free Paint

Here are a few more ideas: 
-Sunglasses
-A new summer hat
-Water toys
-DVDs
-Stuffed animal bunny
-Hair ties or headbands for girls
-new flipflops or sandals
-Movie passes
-Gift card to local ice cream or fro-yo place
-a new ball of the sport they love
-Puzzles
-Jump Rope

I also recommend hitting up your local dollar store for things like Coloring books, stickers, fun kleenex (like frozen or paw patrol), and wall klings! 

Hope this helps you brainstorm for your little bunnies :) 

xo

Alex

2018: Don't wait for the perfect moment, take the moment and make it perfect

Hi Friends! 

Happy New Year! I hope you guys had an awesome time with family and are enjoying a relaxing day today! 

I know it might sound cliche, but I always love the New Years celebrations. I love what it stands for; starting new and fresh. That doesn't necessarily mean I set the stereotypical resolutions, but I think goal setting and self evaluation are crucial in life. Looking back at the year: what went well, what didn't, and what you want to work on as an individual whether thats in your personal or professional life. 

I've always been a Type A, goal setting, and "in-control" type of person. This is probably one of my greatest strengths, but also a weakness. A weakness because I wait. Waiting to have total focus and "the time I need to finish." Waiting to deliver perfect, look perfect, professionally or personally. This applies to anything: cleaning my closet upstairs at home, organizing my stacks and stacks of photos, mapping out new ideas within our businesses, attacking projects, or scheduling a photo shoot/writing more blog posts, my quest for perfection and control, lol, holds me back. 

Not being able to start and complete something all in one shot (which as all of us moms know, is virtually impossible) is something I really need to LET GO of. Plugging away at things piece by piece, minute by minute, and in little segments is OKAY. As they say, "Don't wait for the perfect moment, take the moment and make it perfect." 

Of course I have other goals in the back of my mind (including some fitness based ones of course), but I know that this is something I really want to work on. Do you have anything that you want to improve upon for 2018?!

Happy New Year all!

xo

Alex

Doing Disney with Toddlers

Hey guys! Happy November! Hope you guys all had a great halloween!  The dust has finally settled after our trip and I thought I'd write a little post on hitting up Disney with two little ones. 

Staying at Disney hotels vs off site: 

Whenever we travel now with the boys it is a must to find a hotel with a kitchen and ideally separate bedroom from ours. Seb still wakes up most nights so we don't want him disturbing his older brother so we usually put Max in with us and Seb in a room on his own. I think by next year the boys can be in their own room on their own. We like to have some space to ourselves and not feel forced to go to bed at 8 pm :) 

Last year we stayed at Disney's Old Key West which had two bedroom and a kitchen when my mother in law came with us. I loved it. We ended up getting it around $350 per night which is actually a great deal for the hotel. I've stayed on disney properties before so I wasn't surprised by how nice it was and this time was no different. There are several positives to staying at Disney: Transportation to/from the parks, luggage transportation from the airport, ability to buy tickets and book park events at concierge, and the all around "ambience" of Mickey mouse :)

So naturally, when we first booked the trip to Florida, Disney hotels was my first stop to look for hotel prices.. but it was OUTRAGEOUS. It was over $600 a night. So, I started looking around and found a really nice Marriott 2 bedroom/full kitchen about 15 mins from Disney for $175/night. Yes, $175 a night. 1/3 of the price of the Disney Old Key West or any other of their villa hotels. so, needless to say we booked! 

All in all, we had a great experience at Marriott Harbour Lake. They had numerous pools (with tons of slides, kiddie pool, and numerous spas), a craft room for the kids,  a playground, a soccer field, basketball courts, and a very good gym. Rooms were really spacious and service was awesome. We were a short 12-15 mins from Disney parks. It was also 1 mile from Sea World. 

Would I stay at Disney again? After this experience I'm not sure I would until the boys are older. Yes, the atmosphere is second to none and service is fantastic. I think if you have older kids and don't mind sleeping all in one room and eat out (we prefer to cook a majority of the time for the kids with how old they are-eating out is a mission at the moment.) it could work. Also, with older kids 8 or 9 years and up, the buses make more sense (and you don't have a bunch of stuff (stroller, etc.) that you're lugging on the bus with 439820 other people). Keep in mind IMO the transportation from the Disney park took about the SAME amount of time as it did from our off site hotel just due to waiting for the buses and all of the stops the shuttle/bus had to make. So jury is out how beneficial the transport from disney hotels to parks really is...

Disney has decent priced 1 room hotel rooms to stay in but if you're going the route where you want a kitchen, etc. and you have babies/pre schoolers finding off site is the way to go! 

Stay all day or go back to your hotel for a siesta? 

We've done both. We've powered through the day and skipped naps, and we've also gone home for a nap and come back. I would 100% recommend getting up early, hitting the park for a few hours and then coming back for a nap. Disney allows you to leave and come back so that is a non issue, and your parking rate is for the day.

 I think the kids are always super fresh in the morning making it easy for everyone to enjoy themselves. Also, the heat of the day is between 1-4 pm which you miss if you head back for a nap. The nap allows everyone time to recharge, regroup (including mom and dad) and gives you another 3-4 hours (or more) at the park at night. It is completely worth the 45 min treck (by the time you leave the park, take the ferry, etc. get to the parking lot and get home) to get back both ways. 

Disclaimer: If you have angel children that sleep in their strollers with no issues...I say power through!!

                    Awesome aquarium when you get off of the "Nemo" ride at Epcot

Park Hopper vs Single Park? 

I feel like I come from the days where there wasn't as much of a difference between the single park and the park hopper pass in terms of price so I actually love this feature and remember hopping on the monorail from MK to Epcot when I was a kid..

While its super nice to be able to hop from park to park, I woulden't recommend spending the extra $50 pp unless you are going with adults or older kids who can really utilize both parks. 

Other Tips on surviving Disney with Toddlers: 

1. Lower Your standards. Did you lower them? Now lower them again. lol. Have one thing on your list, and accomplish it. Anything above and beyond that is #winning. Examples: meeting mickey/any other character, or another big ride that they enjoy. The smaller your kids are, the less ground you're going to be able to cover. Thats just the reality of it! 

2.. Download the App: The My Disney Experience App allows you to view information about the parks, see wait times for rides, make reservations for meals, or order food ahead of time. You can also update and select your fast passes on the app (see #3 for fast pass.).
 

3. Fast pass that shit: Log on and fast pass the important things you want to do. Fast pass means you basically don't have to wait in line, and now that Disney seems to be busy all year long (read: 45 min waits *everywhere* ) it is the way to go.

Some popular ones for Pre-K would be Meeting Mickey, Its small world, the old fashioned cars, Dumbo, Nemo (at epcot), to name a few. I'm sure girls love the princess meet and greet so if you have girls I would fast pass that also. You can only do three for each person so choose wisely. Once you use them up you can select different ones (this is another reason why coming back at night is better, a lot of times the fast pass windows will be between 5-8 pm which I am not sure you would make unless you have a nap).

If you know what day you're hitting each park, try and fast pass it in advance. Also: sometimes it will say one of the rides is "no longer available for fast pass". KEEP REFRESHING!!!! This happened to me twice now with Meet Mickey and I refreshed about 8 times and then it popped up. 

4. Snacks, Snacks, and more snacks: Snacks are like the holy grail of surviving Disney. Pack enough snacks for a 3 day trip. Trust me. Bars, crackers, fruit, raisins, PB & J, and tons of water. Disney lets you bring in everything so use that to your advantage! 

5. Get there early: Beat the heat and the crowds by getting there when the park opens or shortly after, It'll be worth it. Everyone is fresh in the morning and do your "prep" work the night before (packing snacks, laying clothes out, etc.) to make your morning less chaotic. 

Enjoy! 

 xo
Alex
 

Sebby's 1st Birthday Party/1 year update

Hey everyone! Happy friday! Hope you had an awesome week. 

Last week was super hectic preparing for Seb's 1st bday party and then heading out 3 days later for vaca! I knew the timing wasn't going to be ideal but with our work schedules is was really the only weekend that worked. 

I decided to do a Peter Rabbit theme after seeing some supplies on zulily and thought they were super cute. He has a Peter Rabbit themed nursery so I thought it would kind of come full circle.

The weather has actually been really amazing lately so we had it outside at our house. Menu included your party favorites: veggie tray, snacks, pizza, subs, cake, and ice cream. I feel like its hard enough to prepare for a party but to cook too for it is really stretching it with 2 little ones so we just ordered out. 

                                                                                                             Fun with our cousins!

I got some really awesome Etsy decorations: center pieces, high chair "I'm one" decoration, a Peter Rabbit crown, Peter Rabbit water bottle stickers, Peter Rabbit, garland, paper plates, napkins, cups, a Peter Rabbit onesie, and my mom made some super cute descriptive food labels with Peter Rabbit on them. Etsy is literally the shit. They have everything you could want. Oh. and the cake. was. seriously. amazing. 

We had a decent day but the wind was blowing at 20 + mph in the morning which made setup really tough. The table cloths were blowing everywhere and it made setup slightly stressful haha. The party was super fun all in all and the kids all had a great time. 

Remember...when planning kids birthday parties:
1. ETSY and PInterest all the way for theme ideas, invites, and for specialized party supplies.
2. Dollar store for basic supplies, balloons, etc. 
3. Plan and order early, early, early. For instance, I ordered Seb's onesie and they sent a green one...so thankfully I had enough time to send it back and have them send a new one in baby blue! 
 

                                                                                      This cake though....Had to post an up close photo. 

My one year old:

As for Seb, he is a full blown toddler now! He is super mobile, walking everywhere (and trying to run), eating everything in sight and exploring and getting into everything. Unlike his brother, he could care less where I am and just takes off running! I'm gonna be that mom that has their kid on a leash at Disney next time haha.  He's also started to be super crazy with screaming. Max never really did that so this is new...he screams to get attention, when he doesn't get what he wants. I don't even understand it and it drives me crazy. His brother will then start screaming at the same time to be funny so...our house is super loud ! Also he is starting to stomp his feet. Soooo like I said, a toddler ((yikes)). The good thing is he's still pretty goofy and happy most of the time so hopefully this is just a phase he's going through until he learns how to talk.

SLEEP He's still up once a night but every now and again he will sleep through the night( he's done it twice while we have been on vacation...score!)Part of me wants to just completely night wean him but I think I'm holding on a little because I'm not sure we will have another. So for now its okay, I think he will wean himself on his own time. 

Nursing Still nursing before naps (so morning and afternoon), when he wakes for the day and before bed. If he wakes in the night he will nurse then and sometimes that takes the place of his morning nurse. So 4 times a day usually. I haven't tried to give him milk yet and I haven't really decided if I'm going to. Max hated it so we just give him yogurt and lots of cheese. So we will see I guess. 

Brother It amazes me how much he learns from his brother and how he feeds off energy from his brother! The next year will be tough but I think when Seb is around 2 yo they will be able to play more together :) 

Likes:

-trucks, cars
-balls
-food! 
-screaming

Dislikes: 
-face being cleaned
-nose being wiped
-being confined anywhere
-the word NO. lol
-sitting still

Hope you guys have a great weekend :) 

Alex

Birthday weekend & Helicopter Tour in NYC

Hey everyone! Happy friday. Hope you had an awesome week!! And hello October and fall :) Its going to be a busy couple of weeks with Seb's 1st birthday party and a family vacation but I'm totally looking forward to it! This weekend is going to be chaotic grabbing last minute items for the party but it will be worth it. 

About 2 weeks ago we headed to New York for 36 hours without the kids to celebrate my birthday (a few days in advance). We have honestly left the kids only once before and it was similar- I think for even less time (24 hours) so this was long overdue! It is always hard to leave them behind but I think its super important to get away and spend some mommy/daddy and "me" time. Self care and time for your relationship is super important and 36 hours in the big scheme of things isn't a lot of time especially if you don't do it often...(thats what I keep telling myself anyway)

               A little birthday love 

Travel

Because we have had the worst luck with flying and I have legit anxiety when we are both gone and the kids are with someone else, we decided to fly there and drive home. This way we would definitely get home on time..or at ALL.I seriously have had to drive back all night long twice already due to flights being cancelled..so..i just can't even deal with the stress. It totally isn't worth it especially with both of us being gone. At least if I'm on my own I don't worry as much, hubs is holding down the fort with the boys. 

 I go to NYC a lot so my go-to is definitely Jet Blue. Its a quick flight and the service and price is pretty good. Also, getting to the JFK air train and the subway is fairly easy from terminal 5. I've taken a few other airlines before and it definitely wasn't as easy.  Whether you take a cab (at least 45 mins depending on traffic, could be up to 2 hours ) or the subway (90 mins) just getting in/out of Manhattan is tough. And of course security, etc at the airport it is such an ordeal! And then tack on any delays or cancellations and its an all day affair.

So anyway, we drove home. The drive home was pretty smooth (6 hours) with no real worries. Best part of driving back had to be no limits on baggage back. Ha Ha!! 

Hotel: The Peninsula

We actually booked the trip pretty far in advance and I had been looking for good hotel deals for awhile but nothing really caught my eye. I consider a good deal to be a hotel room for $200 or less near the (central) park. My favorite spot to stay is around columbus circle to 5th along central park south. I normally stay at the Manhattan Club (they have fridges in the rooms for my milk haha ) or the Park central (both at 57th and 7th). Looking at their prices it was about $275 or so...which made me hold off.

One night I was looking up hotels and Hotwire popped up. I'd never used it before but thought I would play around with it. I selected 5 star hotels and it gave me several options but they were "mystery hotels" until I purchased. It gave me some information like location and what hotel line it COULD be but not much more info than that. I tried to put the search in a couple times to see if I could get any clues. I got one hint saying "Hurry, the last person that booked this got Hotel Peninsula". I quickly looked up the Peninsula and was like..DANG. I need to snag this deal ASAP.

For those of you who don't know, the Peninsula is a 5 star on 5th and 55th- it is gorgeous. Beautiful rooms, great location and the price was literally 70 % off on hotwire. It was a little risky (because there was no guarantee) but we went for it and got it! I was so stoked, I'm such a sucker for a deal. I'm that girl who you tell "i like your shirt" and I immediately respond with "thanks...got it at ____ for ____" haha.

So we ended up getting the room for $315 vs $800/900! Amazing! The hotel was great and I would definitely recommend it. Service was top notch, rooms were great and like I said location, location, location!! 

Helicopter Ride

The highlight of our trip for sure had to be the helicopter ride we took over manhattan (although actually going to the bathroom on my own for a whole day came in a second close haha #momproblems).

We barely made the ride on time just because our flight was delayed getting down to NYC (of course). We had a beautiful day for the ride and we were with 4 other people. Everything we had heard people said to go mid afternoon which is what we chose. We had these parachute things we had to put on and also had to watch a safety video prior to. I've never been on a helicopter ride so I was super excited. The most amazing areas of the city to see where no doubt Central Park, lower Manhattan, and midtown. 

                                                  Flying directly over the Brooklyn Bridge! 

We went with the NYC Helicopter Tours (very original name, lol) and we got on in lower manhattan. I know there are tons of options and some you can get on from Jersey. I didn't really want the hassle of getting over there so thats why we went with the one downtown. There is also one that looks pretty amazing where your feet are hanging out of the helicopter..I was definitely not ready for that but maybe someday haha. We selected the "VIP Manhattan tour" and it was 30 minutes. I think depending on your budget going for longer is definitely worth it if you can. 

It was definitely crazy how windy it was with the chopper going as we were getting in but it was super FUN. The views were amazing and it just gives you a great perspective on the city itself. There were one or two nervy moments ..like when the pilot flew DIRECTLY at the brooklyn bridge and steered away at the last section (on purpose of course)!! Anyway, heli ride over NYC is a must see and should be on your bucket list if you haven't already done it! 

The one thing I would def change if I had to do it again was force hubby to get on the heli first. Because I went on second and "was the smallest" I ended up sitting bitch for the ride. Total buzz kill. I was leaning over both sides to get photos which was super annoying. 

Other than that we did some shopping, went out to eat, and enjoyed a run in central park. It was a quick trip, but totally worth it and much needed! 

Have a great weekend everyone xo

Alex