Bright and colorful nursery

I realize I've been a complete blogging slacker. I don't know why I thought I'd have more time for this being a stay at home mom but I definitely have less haha. I can't promise how often I will post but I have some fun posts to share (including this one) that I hope to get around to soon.

The nursery in our home is probably the most decorated and most complete of all the rooms. I had a vision for it and it came together just like I hoped... this room makes me so happy! I shared the painting of the aqua nursery here.

I didn't want a particular theme in the nursery and wanted it to be bright and colorful and happy. I knew I wanted animals in it but not all themed around one animal. After finding the crib skirt and curtain fabric everything came together to go along nicely with those. The source list for everything I can remember, is at the bottom.

To the right of the door when you enter is the diaper changing area and dresser with photo collage above it. It is a mix of photos, printables, a mirror and a wooden painted letter. In the corner is a small trash can and the cloth diaper pail

On the left wall after you enter is the cube organizer that contain toys, books and a few bins. Two of the bins serve as laundry hampers and the other two hold blankets, babywearing wraps and extra wet bags. The door on the right side of the cube shelving is the closet... redo here.

Two of my favorite things on these shelves are the Hobbes that Dexter confidently points to when you ask him "where's Hobbes?" and the Star Wars print which was the first thing Eric and I bought for baby at a vintage bi-annual market when I was pregnant. It says "Dad, you are my father".

The opposite wall of the entry door has the crib and glider recliner. I've always loved the vintage look of the jenny lind crib. I spent many many hours in that chair and it was totally worth every penny. Since it is microfiber it cleans easily which is important when you have a reflux baby :)  The flashcards and thumbprint frame with thumbprints from people at my showers are two of my favorite part of the nursery. I have always loved the look of hanging flashcards in a nursery and it was the perfect way to have animals without it being too themey.

The final wall to the right of the crib has two windows and a little side table next to the glider. It was the perfect size for my water and phone and any other essentials while nursing. It was originally pink and my parents painted it yellow for us. My rocking chair and teddy bear from when I was a child are also on this wall. I had planned to add pictures or something on the wall in between the windows but haven't yet.

Over a year later and I still love this room. Good thing since I go in here many times a day!


Sources
Dresser: Craigslist
Diaper organizer: Amazon
Changing pad: Amazon
Changing pad covers: made by my mom
Dr. Seuss print: free online
Mirror: Target
Wooden letter: Craft Cuts
Robot print: etsy
1 Samuel print: made by me in photoshop
Frames: Target and HomeGoods
Cubby Shelves: IKEA
Gray linen bins: Target
Alphabet box: HomeGoods
Sunshine canvas: HomeGoods
Ceramic A, Z blocks: made by my mom
Books: various
Clemson piggy bank: Clemson Variety and Frame Shop
Star Wars print: Sable and Gray
White noise machine: Amazon
Red rocking horse: Lake Norman Antique Mall
Nightlight moon: Amazon
Crane truck: IKEA
Shoes: made by my mom, HomeGoods
Little People blocks: consignment sale
Camera monitor: Amazon
Alphabet animal flashcards: etsy
Crib: Amazon
Crib sheet: made by my mom and I
Crib skirt: made by my mom and I
Glider recliner: Best Storytime
Side table: HomeGoods, paint color: BM Dalila
Lamp: Goodwill
Cork lamp shade: target, only in store
Gray plush rug: HomeGoods

BellyMoms nursing shirt review and a giveaway!

If you are or have ever been a breastfeeding mom you know just how challenging it can be to find nice affordable nursing clothes as I mentioned in my breastfeeding post. Most regular tops just do not have the access needed and a lot of nursing wear you will find is tanks which is fine but sometimes you want to wear a short sleeve or long sleeve top and be able to easily nurse. I was recently contacted by Belly Moms to do a review of one of their nursing tops and do a nursing cover GIVEAWAY!

The giveaway details are after the review so don't miss out!  I was given this top below to try out and give my honest opinion on.

My review:
- The top will go with many different bottoms and pair easily with a cardigan in cooler weather.
- It is really long. On me (5'3) it is basically long enough to be a tunic so I may have to try it with leggings. I definitely prefer long over short as you know it won't ride up bending over to pick up your little one or play on the floor with them.
- It is a little loose in the stomach area but it is supposed to also work as a maternity top as you can see in the website photo so I understand why they needed to make it that way.
- It is very easy to nurse in
- The panel underneath the outer layer pulls up easily to access your nursing. Many other nursing tops have elastic on the panel making access to your nursing bra a little more limited.

They have a lot of cute nursing and maternity clothes on their site.

This crossover is cute and is currently on sale:

This long sleeved tunic has a great pattern and who doesn't love wearing comfy leggings with it:

And here is the nursing cover. I don't use a cover much anymore now that Dexter is older because he doesn't tolerate being under them but they were great when he was younger and I always use one when I need to pump in public or in the car.

The Giveaway! 
I have a very stylish nursing cover from Belly Moms that I modeled above for one lucky winner! This would be perfect for any expecting mom, new mom or a great gift for either! See the rafflecopter below to enter. The giveaway starts on 12/18.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good luck!

Update: CONGRATS Lindsay! I will email you next week after the holidays to arrange mailing you the nursing cover! Thanks to all who entered! You can receive 20% off any purchase at bellymoms.com with the coupon code THANKS

Breastfeeding Must Haves

I want to share what I felt were Must Haves for Breastfeeding. Definitely utilize the lactation consultant in the hospital while you are there to help you hands-on and see if your pediatrician office also has a LC, mine does and it was helpful to go see them after being home a week or so. Especially go if you are having any supply issues as there are many things that can help with that. I hope this is helpful to those of you wanting to breastfeed!

1. Nursing Bra - I have 4 or 5 of these Bravado Nursing Bras and they are wonderful and very comfortable even to sleep in. They are the only nursing bra I wear. They must be worn by lots of mamas with all the reviews/stars they have. My SIL uses this brand too.

2. Nursing Pads - you can go with Disposable Nursing Pads or Reusable Nursing Pads that you wash. It is nice to have the disposable ones early on when you go through multiple pairs a day but I've liked the reusable ones now that I'm down to just one pair a day. And they can just go in with whatever laundry you are doing.

3. Nursing Pillow - People usually either go with the My Brest Friend Pillow or the Boppy and I like the former because it felt more secure around me and supported the baby easier with 2 humps for baby's head (one for each nursing side). If you get a boppy too don't get rid of it though because it can be great for tummy time or for support when visitors are holding the baby...we have one for those reasons.

4. Gel soothies - In the midst of delivering early, I forgot all about these Gel soothies and about 1 week postpartum my SIL reminded me about them and had an extra unopened pair. They were amazing. You keep them in the fridge in between uses. I had 3 pairs of these and used them for about a month or so. You can use them for longer than it says if you wash them and take good care of them.

5. Vitamin D drops - If you are breastfeeding your baby needs vitamin D which is already present in formula as recommended by my lactation consultant and pediatrician. We use these and it is just one drop a day and there is enough in the dropper for a year.

6. Nipple cream - Breastfeeding causes sore nipples mostly in the beginning when you are trying to get a good latch and may have to unlatch/relatch several times, etc. I didn't like the smell of the lanolin they had in the hospital and I was so glad I had some Motherlove nipple cream once we got home. Plus it is all natural! You can also use coconut oil, which is what I use on my pump flanges.

7. Nursing cover - My mom made me two nursing covers as a gift but if you don't want to DIY, here's one with great reviews. It was nice in the beginning when I was in public and it was hard to get him to latch quickly etc. Nowadays I don't use one much and because he gets hot under there and doesn't seem to like it. I've learned how to be fairly discreet and if people don't want to see it they don't have to look :) The cover is still great if I need to pump in a public place.

8. Nursing wear - I don't think you have to go crazy with nursing wear but having this Undercover Mama tank was nice because I could use it under any shirt and not expose my stomach and back while nursing.. especially nice if it is cool where you are nursing. It's one layer so you don't have another bra in it like a lot of nursing tanks. I have a couple of Target ones but I don't love them... the bra part is tight compared to the rest of the tank. I have a few shirts and a dress from Milk Nursingwear also which make it easy to breastfeed with secretly placed openings. This is really the only way to breastfeed in a dress unless you have a very low v-neck dress and even then you would risk stretching it out. I do wish they had a bigger selection and colors of dresses since a dress used to be such a go-to outfit for me.

9.* Hands free pumping bra - If you are pumping at all you will want this bra. I wish I had brought it to the hospital with me. When you are exhausted and having to pump round the clock, it is nice to not have to hold the pump parts in place. And it really does adjust for difference sizes.

10.* Milk storage bags - Again if you are pumping, you will need a way to store the pumped milk in the freezer. We have not had any issues with these bags and store them in cardboard soda boxes (a pinterest idea). They have a double ziplock seal at the top.

A a few things that you do not need to purchase but are must haves: Water, snacks and above all PATIENCE!

It was frustrating and exhausting the first 3 or 4 weeks when our son didn't have the sucking reflex down due to his early arrival but we kept trying and trying and I kept pumping and we would give him pumped milk. And then he learned what to do and it was SO much easier to just nurse... it felt like forever at the time but looking back now it really wasn't. That being said, there are cases where breastfeeding can't happen, just doesn't work out or the stress is doing more harm that good. While I'm a strong believer in breastfeeding, there is no judgment of other moms that are not. Don't beat yourself up about it if it isn't what is best for your family or circumstances. Everyone has to do what is best for their family.



*I didn't go into must haves regarding what breast pump or bottles are best because that can really depend on what is available from your insurance (yes, you get a free pump through insurance) and if you want your bottles to also go with the pump and which bottles/nipples your baby prefers. It may be best to get a couple of types of bottles to see what works. I personally have the PISA by Medela and their bottles have worked out for us well so far but I do also have a couple other bottle types to try in the future. I like the option to use the same bottles for pumping and for whenever we feed pumped milk. Even if you are an exclusively nursing, I highly encourage pumping even just a little once a day so you have a freezer stash when you want to have a date night or in case of an emergency. Eric and I have been able to go on a few dates or I can go do something for a few hours and pump in the car when necessary and there is freezer milk for the baby.

Weekly Pregnancy Photos

In honor of this day last year when we found out we were pregnant, I wanted to share all my weekly pregnancy photos. It seriously does not feel like that was a whole year ago... time just flew by!

One week after finding out I started doing these weekly (so that's why it starts with 5 weeks pregnant) in the same spot in the room we made into the nursery. Part way through you can see that the wall got some samples on it and changed colors when we painted the nursery aqua in week 27. The aqua even looks totally different in different lighting. You might notice the last two photos are a little different... well I had planned on taking my traditional weekly photo at 35+1 day but I went into labor that day and never got the planned photo so that one will have to do. I had no clue when we took my photo with the Are You My Mother book that I'd have a baby in my arms a week and 2 days later. Also I wanted to at least round it out to an even 36 since I missed some weekly photos with my little boy coming early so I decided I could take a final one at the would-be 36 weeks mark and he could join me! He was just 5 days old then!

Big thanks to Eric for putting up with taking photos every single week! We just took them all with the phone since that was the easiest. I also had weekly photos taken wearing the same white shirt and black leggings which are neat to look at the difference but I like these since I'm wearing different outfits like some of my cute pregnancy dresses!

My Nautical Baby Shower

I didn't get a chance to post about the awesome family baby shower my sister in law threw in April before munchkin arrived but am so excited to share it with you now! It was nautical themed and the invitations were so adorable with Ahoy It's a Boy on them.

The decor was top notch! If anyone is throwing a nautical shower, I know some of these things came from etsy. There were fun banners, various ships, a sailor hat and lighthouses that both of us and my mom happened to have for decorating the table that contained the Wishes for Baby cards and the Advice for the Parents-to-be cards. There were also thank you cards that matched the theme where the attendees went ahead and filled in their address - this is something Megan had done for her at one of her showers and it is a real time saver when you have so much going on with a new baby.

My mom gave Megan the Little People Marina to put out which I played with as a kid. Love all the old Little People stuff.

This diaper wreath was amazing! It said Baby Munchkin in the center and is from etsy.

With the wonderful host! She was so sweet to host a baby shower with a 2 month old.

Now let's talk about the amazing food. First the diaper cake on the food table was adorable. We cloth diaper but I haven't really had to buy any disposables for when we travel, etc. due to diapers from my showers.  It was the perfect centerpiece.

The food was catered by someone that catered one of Megan's showers and it was delicious! Chicken salad, veggies and dip, fruit, spinach artichoke dip and some sort of cheese dip in the hollowed pineapple that was to die for! I could totally go for some of that right now.

The cookies are from Blue Flour Bakery in Columbia and they are so so good! I first had their cookies at the shower I threw for Megan when her mom brought them. They are a great shower dessert and I prefer cookies over cake.

With Miss Abby right before we all ate.

After eating, everyone filled out the Baby Wish cards that I cannot wait to share with Munchkin one day and the Advice for the Parents-to-be. 

Then I opened the gifts. My chair even had a Mom-to-be sign and the mantle was all decorated too with BABY letters Megan made and some onesies and burp cloths y mom made.

With Eric's mom and my mom

One of our close family friends was really sweet to come up from FL for the shower.

As well as my aunt from FL and cousin from Charleston.

And my sweet niece. She was the flower girl in our wedding and is so grown up now.

There were cute cookie favors for the guests to take as they left also from Blue Flour. I actually froze two of these for us to enjoy post baby and ate them a couple weeks ago and they were still just as delicious.

Eric helped out with clean up and packing up the baby loot.

And of course this little guy dressed up for the party in his nautical wear too at a little over 2 months old!

Pregnancy Must Haves Part 2

After my Pregnancy Must Haves post, my friend Katie who had a very different pregnancy (morning sickness with "morning" being all day every day) offered to write a part 2 guest post with her pregnancy must haves. She has 8 great pregnancy must haves and tips below.

Emily and I had a blast being pregnant at the same time (and it’s even more fun now having babies so close in age!). Pregnancies come in all shapes and sizes; let’s just say mine was quite round and lacked the proverbial “glow”. As Emily mentioned in her post, the list of essentials is different for each situation so I asked her if I could write up a different perspective for all you mommas out there that aren’t even considering turning on a prenatal workout DVD. So here we go…

Trader Joe’s Organic Ginger Pear White Tea

At the first sign of morning sickness I raided my local CVS and bought every Sea-band and ginger product available. Little did I know those very products would make me just as sick as fried chicken. I found some comfort in an afternoon cup of hot tea and this one from Trader Joe’s has a little hint of ginger without the overpowering ginger flavor that sent me straight to the toilet.  I don’t think it truly solved any morning sickness problems but it made me feel like I was at least trying and it replaced my typical 3pm coffee break. 

Kleenex box

I typically keep a box somewhere in the house but during pregnancy this is a must.  Hormones are out of whack and the tears related to fear, fatigue and pure joy need something soft and gentle to soak them up.  It also came in quite handy post-birth when I had those precious moments in the middle of the night of staring at my perfect creation and realizing “This baby is mine!?!?” (uncontrolled sobbing to ensue).

Bagels/ Any other form of carb-loaded food

Clean eating? Fruits and veggies? Say what?  I ate a bagel almost every day and was once found eating a mound of mashed potatoes straight from the kitchen aid mixer bowl.  I’m not saying I didn’t gain extra weight, but it was survival and if it stayed down then I was down with it!

Saline nasal spray

Allergies and colds are tough to fight when pregnant because of medication restrictions but saline nasal spray is the bomb! I am practically addicted to this non-habit forming over-the-counter “medicine”.  I kept it on hand to help irrigate my dry nose and clear out stuffed up nasal passages.  It also helped prevent those pesky nosebleeds.

Full-sized toothbrush and toothpaste

I quickly learned the small travel sized tube of toothpaste wasn’t going to cut it. If you are beyond just nausea and not able to hold in your most recent snack, you will need to freshen your breath multiple times a day so you can smile and interact with co-workers and the pharmacy tech that you will get to know well during this time. I picked up a regular sized toothbrush and toothpaste for my work bag and I don’t think my teeth have ever been so clean.

Stool softener

Lots of anti-nausea medicine and remedies equals lots of slowed down intestines.  Ain’t nobody got time for that! Pop a couple stool softeners each night and the problem is solved.

Favorite Bible Verse

In those moments of doubt and exhaustion, cling to the promises of God’s protection and presence.  This verse became one of my favorites and was my focus during the drawn out hours of labor (notice my half-smile as I try to walk in between contractions).

2 Timothy 1:7- For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and of a sound mind.  

Modified Expectations

Like many, I dreamed of a glamorous pregnancy full of nesting, prenatal exercise and floating around with an attractive baby-baking aura.  When the morning sickness didn’t let up and my energy was put into just making to work each day I had to come to grips with the realization that my previous expectations were not only silly but truly not necessary. In the end, both baby and I remained completely healthy throughout the pregnancy and now I have more joy and love than I could have ever imagined.  Postnatal amnesia is a real thing and I would seriously do it all again.  Look at this cutie- how could I think otherwise?

Thanks for the guest post Katie! You are so right that favorite bible verses are so essential in such a changing time in your life. My favorite verse throughout pregnancy (and a verse I lean on often) was Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. And that baby is just adorable!

Pregnancy Must Haves

Here my 10 Pregnancy Must Haves plus a bonus of 2 nice to haves at the end. I actually really enjoyed being pregnant but these things made the more challenging times and sometimes not-so-fun side effects of pregnancy better! I know most do not feel this way and I was lucky not to ever have morning sickness (or all day every day sickness like a friend of mine had) and just several weeks of nausea so I imagine with morning sickness this list would have a few different must haves... like a toilet nearby at all times haha. Kudos to those who are dealing with/dealt with that.


1. Nature Valley Protein Bars- these were such a lifesaver! I would get hungry in the middle of the night and if I didn't eat I would feel nauseous so I would eat one of these. It was just the thing to fill me up and curb the nausea. They are delicious and have 10 grams of protein which is key because you need a TON of protein while pregnant and most bars don't have this much protein for only 190 calories. I eat them now sometimes when I'm hungry in the middle of the night while breastfeeding. Amazon has these for a great deal too.

2. Multi-grain club crackers- these were another great snack to help with nausea. You can't go wrong with delicious buttery club crackers but these are multi-grain so even better!

3. Refillable water bottle- in addition to eating a bunch of protein, pregnant ladies have to consume A LOT of water. Luckily I really like drinking water so this wasn't too difficult of a task but I liked keeping track of how much I was drinking so I made sure I got enough each day. When you drink enough water you can really tell a difference in how you feel, pregnant or not. I have this one below  but the camelbak one looks nice too.

4. Heating pad- great for the sore back that pregnancy brings especially after being on the go a lot. This Sunbeam one was the best size and heated up quickly. I also liked it had multiple heat settings - the low ended up being what I liked.

5. Prenatal workout dvds- I posted my favorite pregnancy workouts awhile back. Continuing to work out was a must have for me.


6. Pregnancy book- Many people read What to Expect but at the advice of others, I decided on Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy instead which had all the basic information I needed and was easy to understand without scaring me to death like I've heard WTE can do. Googling symptoms is usually not a good idea and it's better to have a good reference like the Mayo Clinic Guide... step away from Dr. Google. We also read Bringing up Bebe which is a funny French pregnancy/parenting book about an American raising a baby in laid back France.

7. Leggings - these are a must! Even if you aren't pregnant in winter, they can be great in fall and spring and even summer when you are inside with the A/C going. I had like 5 pairs of maternity leggings. Make sure you find some that are super comfortable! My favorite ones were from gap (they were called supersoft leggings - picture below) and I waited until they had a sale. I also had a couple from destination maternity.

8. Prenatal vitamins- this one is a no-brainer. I used Target brand Up & Up prenatals during my pregnancy and they never made me sick or were hard to swallow. Postpartum I switched to Vegan prenatals since they were better for not interacting with another prescription I take.



9. Mustela stretch mark cream - this stuff was given to me by my sister in law and it was great - not a single stretch mark! It's pricey but I found that a little went a long way and never needed more than one tube the whole time and I even have some leftover. I've also used Earth Mama Angel Baby Stretch Oil but it does have an earthy smell to it that some people may not like but it's about as natural as you can get.

10. Burts Bees lotion - Pregnancy can make your skin dry and when you are pregnant over winter that doesn't help matters. I wanted a paraben free lotion with nothing on the ingredient list that looked like it shouldn't be in something I was slathering on my skin. I never had dry skin when using this and it doesn't have a smell to it which is a plus for anyone sensitive to smells while pregnant.



Here are two additional items that were helpful but I wouldn't call "must" haves.

1. Vasaline - pregnancy can bring about nose bleeds/bloody nose as you have an increase in your blood volume. I found putting a little bit of this in my nose before bed helped as strange as that seems.

2. Waterproof sheet protector- if you are worried about your water breaking while you are sleeping and messing up your mattress or any fluid leaking this is nice to have. It is also good postpartum when you are still bleeding and all that fun stuff.

Hope this is helpful for anyone looking to enjoy some of the pregnancy side effects a little better. What were some pregnancy must-haves you had that were not on this list?