Trying to Transition to Sippy Cups

I have been buying Collins sippy cups pretty much any time I see cute ones at target for about 2 months now. This has been pretty pointless since she seems to be totally un interested in them at all.

(This is just some of the cups we have tried)

 

Well we went to her doctor yesterday for her 10 month check up ( she has Bronchiolitis when we were supposed to go for the 9m) and her doc told us to go ahead and try to get her transitioned to sippy cups. Too bad Collins didn't understand the doc saying that because she is a girl and we all know they listen better to other people then their mamas. Ha! So I went to target AGAIN and this time I think I have actually found one she will use!!

The mOmma Spill proof cup at Target is actually working. So far atleast. 

There is also the whole drink set that can go from a bottle to sippy cup to straw cup.  Pretty cool idea!
And be honest these cups are a lot cuter than most sippy cups you find.
She seems to be able to figure out how to actually get the drink out of this cup but I still dont feel like shes really crazy about the whole sippy cup idea... Do you have any suggestions for how to transitions to sippy cups??

 

Pump the breaks!

I have spent the past two or so weeks now with one constant thought in the back of my mind (if not the main thought).. We have a 1st BIRTHDAY to plan.  I mean Im not sure where in the hell this year has gone but we have now passed 10 months so I for real have got to start planning this party. 

Who is this toddler and Where did my baby go?!

 

It’s funny because I remember When I was taking Collins' 3 month pics I remember saying to Justin "She is 3 months which is almost half a year which we can go ahead and round up to a year--I have got to start planning her party." He just laughed and made some smart ass comment to the point of "God I cannot even imagine what you are going to plan for that." and honestly its probably a good thing he doesn’t sit around trying to imagine the shit going through my mind. With that said in between chasing our little WALKER around all day and then picking her up when she face plants to make sure I don’t need to bring her into the Childrens emergency room I work in, I have had very little time to plan. However I have found the invites I want and theme I’m going with I think. I found them on pinterest of course and just LOVE these invitations found on spearmintbaby

I mean seriously how cute are those invites? Beyond that I feel just as overwhelmed as I did with wedding planning and deciding how to decorate her nursery.  As much as I love pinterest it puts so much in your mind you don't know which one to choose! I mean obviously her party will have a teal theme because everything I can make teal I do.  Its also a good thing I don't have to worry about what she is going to wear since I bought it about a month ago at baby gap- my other addiction.  These are some of the ideas I have found and like.  You can find all of the links on my pinterest board

Her birthday is March 20th and were doing the party on the 23rd.  In case you forgot that is VERY close to St. Patricks say so I definitetly think green beer  green decor/ideas would be fun! ...Justin gets so mad at me when I talk about how much fun she's going to have getting to celebrate her birthday with green beer when she is older but I am just being realistic.

As always here are some adorable pictures of our ALMOST 1 year old.

"Mom Im trying to eat my grilled cheese.  Why are you still taking pictures"

We had our 10month appointment this week since she was sick for her 9m

She wasnt so sure about the snow. She gets that from her mom.

 

Registry... part III

This post is pretty much all the random other essentials (or so I thought). My mind goes in a million different directions so sorry if I kind of jump around. Also, later I am going to post random things we ended up needing/ using a lot but I wouldnt not say you HAVE to register for them. They are things that wont be needed at first so use your registry to get all the new inital things your going to need!

1. A baby bath- this was really hard for me when I was registering because I didn't want any of the stupid theme looking tubs. I didn't know about the 4moms   tub until Collins was a couple of months old but wish I would have because its seems so cool! A little $ but totally worth it! It has a color-coded digital thermometer to show you the water temperature which helps because we were so scared about her water being too hot at first that I'm sure we froze our poor child! It also is designed to use with running water, and filters out the dirty water! When your babe is ready for a big bathtub, the spout cover can still be used ( and your going to need one of those in a couple of months). Another good tub for when you first get home is the blooming bath. It's so cute but not as practical since it won't last very long.

2. 4moms Breeze- ok so this has been my FAVORITE baby purchase yet! If you have not noticed I'm kinda obsessed with anything aden + anis and anything 4moms. This play yard is beyond worth the little extra it cost compared to others. You push 1 button and it opens, pull 1 tab and it closes. The first one we had stayed in the exact spot we first put it because moving it was not an option unless I carried it assembled.  If we had any other playyard i would have already ended up getting pissed when I tried to put it together, breaking the play yard, and throwing the piece of shit across the room. So if you listen to anything listen to this--this thing is AMAZING... Plus it's black and teal.. My favorite... Everything should come in teal.

3. Uppababy Cruz- I had NO clue where to start or what The differences were when it came to registering for a stroller. I registered for the safety 1st stroller that went with the car seat we registered for and I do like it. HOWEVER the uppababy Cruz is what we're getting now. The main thing I like about it is your little one can be rear facing! Collins HATED being in a regular forward facing stroller so most of the time I would end up holding her, pushing the stroller, and getting really pissed of that I even brought my stroller in. The Cruz is very light weight and so cute! The vista  is another good stroller that can be used for 2 kids.

4. Summer Infant Super Seat - So we got this after we had our bumbo.  Dont get me wrong we loved our bumbo and I think for the younger ones the bumbo is great.  However Collins got bored just sitting there (and her thighs got a little to chunky) so we got this seat.  It was great! It is a good seat positioner, with more thigh room but it also has bun activities for the little one!

5. 4 momsMamaroo-  We didn’t have one of these because I didn’t know about them until Collins was 3 months and at that point I didn’t want to spend the money.  However this thing is AMAZING.  Collins hated the swing we had and LOVED this when we used our friends.  If we have another we will for sure buy this. Another good swing options would be the new Graco swing that I think is a lot like the mamaroo!

6. Summer Infant Rest Assured Sleeper-  This is what we used when we brought Collins home and it made breastfeeding so much easier.  Collins could be in the bed with us but since the sleeper is metal we didnt have to worry about SIDS.  Its also good in the living room or anywhere else during naptime and easy to take if you have to travel!

7. Vicks Rectal Baby Thermometer - This is the only way Justin will take Collins' temp because he is so worried about using a regular one.  You should take your childs temp rectally until they are two so its good to go ahead and get in the habit.

8. Activity/ tummy time mat- You will need a tummy time mat so you can get one like this which we did. However I reccomend going ahead and getting a bigger activity mat that includes the "tummy time cusion" or whatever because Collins liked the activity mat a whole lot longer.  And on the subject of tummy time... Dont worry if your little one hates it and just screams the entire time.  I freaked thinking she was never going to learn to roll over or crawl.. she did both early! So Im not saying dont even try tummy time but just dont worry if it doesnt really work.  

What to register for (II)

FEEDING

My breast friend- now I know everyone will tell you to get a boppy for breast feeding but the “My breast friend” is a million times better. It is more firm so it actually holds baby up a lot better.

Medela pump in style- I only used this kind so I cant say it works any better or worse than any others however I loved this breast pump and it worked great. I got the tote style so no one even noticed when I carried it in to work. Just go ahead and buy extra tubing, shields, etc to you wont feel like you have to spend even more time washing them since you have an extra .

Breast milk storage bags- If you are breastfeeding I would recommend going ahead and trying to store some milk. This makes it a lot easier if/when you have to be away from your baby! I liked these storage bags the best… mainly because they were the best price.

 

Nursing cover- Now I am in no way saying get one of these so you can walk around the mall feeding because that still weird’s me out but say your in your room at the doctor or even in the bathroom at the mall..still cover your self up- You have no excuse as cute as these covers are!

Lanolin cream- This stuff is feels amazing when breastfeeding hurts. It also helps the nipple shield stay on IF you have to use one.

*side note-- if your baby does not immediately latch on and they try giving you a nipple shield try your best to keep trying WITHOUT the shield! They gave one to and then Collins could never figure out how to feed without it and when she was crying hungry and I'm trying to get the shield on she would knock it off... Just a huge pain in the ass!

Dr Browns bottles- we love these although cleaning out all of the parts is a major pain in the ass. They are great because they have the vent system in them to help your little ones no drink air which would cause fussiness and gas... And you will have enough of that so no need to cause more.

Bottle Brushes- yes I am sure you could just buy a dish brush but these things were made for bottles, they fit them the best, and they are super cute.

Formula divider- these are great because you can go ahead and have whatever number of scoops ready for on the go feeding.

GAS DROPS- just go ahead and put these in every bottle!

Bottle rack- you will need somewhere to dry out your bottles. They make all kinds and any will work!

Burp cloths and receiving blankets also work great for spit up and somehow you will a quire like a million of those blankets without buying any? I'm still not sure how that happened.

As far as high chairs we got the Eddie Bauer high chair because we liked the way it looked. However after using it we hate it. There is no padding so Collins hits her head on the back wood part too much. 99% of our feedings don’t happen at the table so were not getting a different one but just something to look at!

I never used any type of bottle warmer because I didn't want get Collins in the habit of warm bottles and then be screwed if I got somewhere and didn't have a warm bottle. That’s a shit show I didn’t want to deal with…Same with diaper warmers in my opinion.

 

 

I'll end with my adorable chunk eating at different times

Her first bottle.

sweet baby feet :)

First baby food...peaches (bad quality pic--Iphone sorry!)

What to register for

So far I have gotten to go help 2 of my pregnant friends register. Its so much easier now that I actually know what to look for, what actually works, and what are seriously essentials! Collins is only 10 months old and there is already so much new stuff out that I am jealous about! Since I've gone to help I decided to post what I think every registry needs. I have discovered with car seats, strollers, play yards, and high chairs there is A LOT more to consider and I honestly dont think you can figure that out until you realize yours isnt working so you are either stuck with a piece of crap or having to go spend money on a new one. Either way it sucks so hopefully I can help some people not have to buy doubles! Im going to try to put the registry stuff in categories as much as I can!

I was going to try to put this all in one post but after realizing how much that is I have decided to split it up.. so Ill start with the easiest... The Nursery!

 Nursery

Aden + anis swaddle blankets- These are the best swaddle blankets..and I am so jealous of all the new designs! Im a fan of anything aden + anis so you will see them on here a lot!  These also make good “blankets” for summer babies because they aren’t thick but you wont get rude looks from old woman having a tiny baby out without a blanket. (yes you will get those looks and comments even in Alabama in june?!)

Easy Swaddles- I am so jealous of these since they are new but anything to help making those middle of the night re swaddling easier after a feed will be great!!  There are also the “swaddle me” brand that work good too im just a fan of the thin/softness of Aden + anis.

Serenity Star- Ok so I just got this and am in LOVE with it! I wish I would have known about it from day one since it has a “feeding diary” so you can record/ display the last time you fed and which side if you are breast feeding…AMAZING!  Is is also a sound machine (that will go longer than 30 min like most if you want) It does also have a 30 or 60 minute cut off. It is a night light that glows white as long as the temperature is ok for a baby to be sleeping in.. HOW CONVIENIENT IS THAT? It glows red or blue if the room is too hot or cold!! It also can be plugged in or runs on batteries so you can travel with it.. I LOVE THIS THING!

 

aden™ by aden + anais® Muslin Comfort Issie Security Blanket—These are too cute not to include and tiny enough for your newborn to look so sweet holding.  Collins has like 5 ha!  They are also small enough to throw in the side of you bag and work as burp cloths that aren’t as rough feeling on babies faces.

 

Angel care 3-1 monitor- I like this because it is a video and sound monitor & a movement monitor !  It has an under-the-mattress Sensor Pad that will detect your child's movements and an alarm will sound if no movement has been detected for 20 seconds! That helps when your too scared to stop staring at your sweet baby sleep! .. All the SIDS talk will have you so worried!

Diaper genie- For all the stinky diapers.  We put pee diapers in the regular trash so we dont go through a million refills and we have only gone through 2 boxes of the refills in 10 months!

You will also obviously need the basics such as a changing pad and cover, crib bedding, and organizational baskets and such for all of the random little things.  Aden + anis now have crib sheets and changing pad covers that are so soft and so cute! I got my changing pad cover from an etsy shop!

**A friend told me to keep a hamper or basket to throw clothes in when Collins out grew them and this was some of the best advice I got.  You normally realize they have out grown something once its half way on them so you just grab something else out of the drawer and throw the outgrown one where ever (honestly back in the drawer to keep everything looking clean).  So if you have a basket or whatever you can throw the outgrown clothes in there and then when its full pack them all in a container or do whatever your planning on doing with out grown baby clothes.

 

40 weeks and counting. . .

Lately it seems like all of my friends have found out they are pregnant. . .apparently I had Collins a year too early! With all the prego friends I have been getting a lot of questions and find myself remembering random things about being pregnant or feel like they really need to know about bringing home a newborn! So instead of sending random text messages trying to explain random things to them I decided Ill just get back to blogging and hopefully can make all the pregnant and new baby questions a little easier.  So to start with I figured I should post things I found important or life savers while I was pregnant.

Now dont get me wrong... I love the end result of my pregnancy (I mean who couldnt love this face)

However I personally HATED being pregnant.  I will honestly never believe the people who say they "Love being pregnant" . . . yea thats bull shit.  What is there to love about 10 months (dont even get me started on why 40 weeks is refered to as 9 months) of being hot, fat, and bitchy? So my list of prego must haves will probably focus more on the not so fun sides of pregnancy but if were being honest even the people who "love being pregnant" have to admit parts of it suck....

 

 

 

 

1. Tylenol-  ok so we all know Tylenol doesnt really do anything for headaches but its all you can take while you are pregnant.  So go buy a bottle...maybe it will work like the placebo effect?..and speaking of the headaches...

 

2. Humidifier-  Your sinuses go CRAZY when your pregnant.. I almost always had a headache.. & yes I did still drink caffeine while I was prego. If I would have had a sinus headache and caffeine headache no one would have been able to tolerate me.  I went ahead and got a cute dehumidifier that I wanted to use in the nursery.  You can find it here Humidifier .

 

3. Zantac-  Im not sure if you can have this your first trimester but I had horrible heartburn while I was pregnant.  Ive never had it before and luckily have not had it since but zantac went everywhere with me while I was pregnant.

 

4. Gap cami's - I loved still love these.  They are great for pregnancy and post pregnancy!

 

5. New panties- for some reason I didnt even think about this until none of my panties felt comfortable anymore.  I had to go buy a million pairs and these  were my favorites.

 

6. Maternity jeans-  You can find these anywhere and like regular jeans you will decide which ones you like for your body.  However I would suggest ebay.  I bought all my maternity jeans except one pair off ebay and they all came new with tags and I didnt pay more than 15$ for any of them.. this includes a pair of Joes maternity jeans!

 

7. Benadryl-  another medicine to keep while your pregnant! Benadryl is good for sinus issues or any rash/ itching during pregnancy.  Hopefully no one ends up with the weird itching issue I got my last few weeks but it was complete HELL.  I had to get induced at 37 weeks because the itching got to severe. Even after Collins was born it continued for a couple of weeks.  Again I hope you dont have to go through that but if you so Benadryl is safe.

8. Ponytail Holders- and I dont mean so you can throw your hair up because you feel too lazy to get ready.  These are to extend the time you can wear your regular jeans.  Just loop it around the button and through the button hole, then back around the button... Gives you a little extra time before buying maternity jeans

9. Belly laughs & The Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy- These books are HILARIOUS. Everyone thats pregnant these should be a requirement.

As if the stress of knowing you have a baby on the way isnt enough... you cant even have a drink to help you relax anymore.  That was another adjustment to make.  I found "mocktails" to be fun and help you not feel like a fat, underage, moody bitch all the time.  Preggatinis is a good book with tons of good non alcoholic recipes.  Here are a few examples from Unrulylittlethings :

Im sure ill think of more useful info but this seems like a good start.  Ill leave you with some other thoughts on pregnancy... :)