Suggestions for posts??

If you actually still follow this blog, bless your little heart! I had so many ideas of what to write about when I started this blog, but as you can see, I seem to have run out of ideas for new Mom's, or just Mom's in general.

So, if you are a new Mom, or have a newborn, what would you like to read about?

I am open to suggestions!!

Thanks!

Sprucing Up!

If you are a stay-at-home Mom like myself, then some days you may not have the opportunity to shower. I try to shower daily, but there are some days where I do not get the chance. Now, if I set my alarm for 5:00, and took a shower before the boys started waking up, then I guess I could shower every day, but who wants to get up that early? Actually, ever since daylight savings happened, Miles has been waking up at 5:00, so there really is no time for me to shower before he wakes up. There is NO way I am getting up at 4:30 AM just to shower!

I always take my shower when Miles goes down for his first nap. What do I do with my 2 year old you might be wondering? I do what any good parent would do...set up the portable DVD player in my room and hand him a big bowl of goldfish. This keeps Eli busy for quite some time and I can fully trust that he will not get into anything while I'm in the shower. He's been taught right from wrong, and not that he doesn't make wrong choices, but he knows exactly what he is allowed to touch and what he isn't allowed to touch. Here is a photo I snapped the other day of his set up. I never hear a peep out of him!

My sister sent me a text the other day saying I should do a post on my blog about how much better you feel when you do shower in the morning and this is true. I realized this quickly when I started staying at home. Even though there are days where I do not leave the house and nobody sees me, I still feel ten times better when I take a shower, put on a little makeup, fix my hair, and get dressed. It always boosts my mood and anytime I see my reflection for the rest of the day, I smile, instead of thinking to myself, "Ewww....comb your hair! What's that on my face? Nice circles under the eyes!" 

I'm pretty sure Ryan also appreciates when I shower and put on something other than my pajamas for when he walks in the door. I'm not talking anything fancy here...just a pair of jeans and simple shirt. But, I know when he walks in the door from a long day at work, his day is made a little better when he sees his wife has showered and closely resembles the girl that he married. (pre-baby)   :-)

There are still days where I might stay in my sweats all day simply because I am tired and do not feel like going through all the work of drying my hair, etc...but they are happening less and less. I really do feel like a new person after getting myself ready for the day. I always seem to have more energy and feel better about myself. (Probably like exercising...but let's just focus on one thing at a time!) ;-)

If you are one that does not take the time to get yourself ready in the mornings...then give it a try! I'm giving you a 5 day challenge of showering daily and putting something on besides sweats or your pajamas. Let me know how you feel at the end of the week! I promise, you won't regret it! 

Anyone out there?

Hello there!!

Wanted to let you know that I am still around, just have been a bit busy since my last post! Miles' big party is this weekend so I've been working my little tail feathers on all the details for that. I also have a sick husband, and if your husband is like mine, then I need not to explain any further. :-)

I promise I will be up next week with a new blog post.

Also...if you are a new mom or an expectant Mom, what topics would you like to see on here? If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them!

Thanks!

Baby Boot Camp

I'm not sure how I came across the blog called "Sunny Side Up", but I did, and wanted to share for any new Mom's out there or Mom's to be. I have no idea who this woman is, but I agree with her 100% on the topic of training your baby to sleep. I've said it a million times on here (okay...maybe not a million), but babies are not born with the knowledge of how to put themselves to sleep. They have to be trained, and some are harder than others. Eli=Easy, Miles=Difficult! It took me a lot longer to train Miles than it did with Eli, but it was well worth it, as Miles is an awesome sleeper. 

It's never too late to start baby boot camp!

http://www.thesunnysideupblog.com/2010/07/baby-boot-camp.html

The end of the Road

My sweet baby boy, Miles, is just a few weeks from turning the big 1! (tear, tear) I thought the first year went fast with Eli, but that was nothing compared to how fast the first year has gone with Miles. It is so hard for me to even remember him as a newborn. I spent a lot of time yesterday going through his pictures from birth for his upcoming birthday bash, and I found myself holding back the tears. Miles is such a little snuggler and has the sweetest disposition. I hope that he doesn't grow out of our nightly snuggles for a while! Not sure I could take it!

Since Miles is approaching 1, my nursing days are coming to an end. I never thought that I would ever say these words, but I am. I am a little sad to be quitting breast feeding. (I know that some women go beyond 1 year, and that's great...but personally, I think 1 is the perfect age for me to wean.)

Don't get me wrong, there are many reasons I am happy to be moving on', but there are still several reasons it is a little sad! Let me sum it up like this:

Reasons to rejoice at the end of breast-feeding: 

• Wearing a normal bra
• Not having to lift up my shirt 3/4 times a day
• Saying good-bye to the pump! 
• Being able to wear any shirt/dress I want to and not having to think to myself about how I can get easy access to my chest for Miles
• Being able to get up and go running first thing in the morning (not having to pump first or feed)
• Saying good-bye to breast pads!
• When out in public, not having to scope out a place that is hidden so I can feed Miles
• Rushing back home when out (on the rare occasion) so that I can feed Miles

Reasons that I'm a bit sad at the end of breast-feeding:

• I love the bond that it has created between the two of us. I love that he knows me by my smell and knows that I provide most of his nutrition.
• I love our last feeding of the day. I take him upstairs and sit in the dark on the guest bed while he nurses. He holds onto my fingers while I gently rub his sweet head and kiss his lovable cheeks. He falls asleep in my arms and I just hold him there for several minutes before gently moving him to his crib.
• Knowing the my chest will deflate BIG time! (hello...push up bra!) 
• Burning the extra calories every day. Looks like it is time to start exercising again. Maybe I'll have to stop eating ice cream every night as well. (haha...who am I kidding?)

If you've been reading my blog since the beginning, you know my struggles I encountered at the beginning of breast feeding both my boys. I've been talking to my sister-in-law a lot lately, who has a 2 week old, and am reminded of how exhausting those beginning weeks are, both physically and mentally. As much as I love babies and being a Mom, right now I have no desire to start all over again on the breast feeding journey. When I hear her talk about the lack of sleep and latch difficulties, it makes me happy to be where I am on my breast feeding adventure. Saying that, I am a little sad to be ending the journey as it means another baby has gotten bigger and needs his Mama a little less. As the months went on, breast feeding became so easy. Miles was finished feeding within 10 minutes and we'd move on about our day. I have loved this experience with breast feeding, and do look forward to the next one whenever we decide to have baby 3. 

I will probably continue nursing Miles right up to his birthday and then start to wean him in the coming weeks. I have a lot of my milk saved in the freezer so I will use that to help in the weaning process. I hope he tolerates milk since he had some issues in the beginning months with dairy. We shall soon find out. 

If you are a new Mom reading this and having your own struggles with breast-feeding, do not give up! It is worth every second of those sleepless nights and stressful moments of figuring out why they won't latch, etc. If you need help, CALL someone! Call a lactation consultant and take your baby in so they can watch you nurse. I never thought that I would actually enjoy breast-feeding, but it ends up that I did! 

Enjoy the moments!

I had my Mom's group meeting this morning, and walked away bawling like a baby. I know I was not the only one as I looked around the room and saw everyone wiping away their tears as well. The meeting started off with a meaningful devotional from the book: One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp. We watched a short clip afterwards from the Author, and I wanted to share it with you.

As retailers and consumers skip Thanksgiving to start the Christmas rush, this short clip reminded me to be "thankful" for the moments...even the smallest of moments. Watch this and you'll see what I mean: 

There are days where I have to remind myself that the laundry can wait, but my children will not stay this small forever. Nobody will care if my floors are scrubbed or toilets cleaned, but Eli will remember if I read him books or sing him songs. Life is about moments. Cherish them! 

Maternity Fashion

Hi everyone!  This is Ashley over at flats to flip flops.  I am "momma" to two sweet, and at times, crazy kids!  A boy, age 3, and a girl, age 1.  Needless to say, things are pretty crazy around our house, but in my spare time I write a blog about fashion for moms on the go and their kiddos!  Lots of fashion ideas/deals for the whole family, so if you have a sec go ahead and check it out!
Thanks to Sarah for asking me to guest post today on Moms2B!  


Today I wanted to talk about my top 5 maternity musts!

Maternity Musts by flatstoflipflops featuring old navy maternity

1.  Oversized Sweaters & Tees(Plum top-topshop.com, Gray Tee-aritzia.com):  The best thing about purchasing maternity clothes these days is that you don't necessarily have to shop at a maternity store.  Oversized shirts are everywhere this season and they are not only great for a growing belly, but a great transition piece after your bundle of joy has arrived!


2.  Leggings(houseoffraser.co.uk):  These are a pregnant woman's dream!  Comfy and cozy are definitely two words you want to be when you're pregnant and leggings do just the trick.  Worn with boots or with flats, leggings are great for any season.  A side note:  Leggings can go wrong real fast!  I like to make sure that whatever top I wear with my leggings is long enough that I feel comfortable and more importantly covers my backside!  Keep it classy!


3.   Maternity Jeans(oldnavy.gap.com):  It's always a good idea to have a good pair of maternity jeans in your closet.  Personally I love the over the belly style, it doesn't seem to slip, slide, and bend like the under the belly style does.


4.  Comfy Shoes(toms.com):  If you are like me when preggo, your feet get a lot of the wear and tear.  A good pair of shoes is a must!  I love TOMS because they are not only comfy, but super cute too!


5. Accessories(doulashop.com): Don't be afraid to make a statement with your accessories!  I LOVE this piece of jewelry because it is made specifically for pregnant women.  You probably have noticed, but it is in the shape of a pregnant women's body.  There are lots of similar pieces out there, and what a special way to remember those 9 months! 


Happy Maternity Shopping!