The "Big Girl Bed" Debate

 

In a little over 4 months, Miss Baylee will be celebrating her 3rd birthday! I'm not sure how or when this happened that we started rapidly approaching the big 3, but it did, and my little baby is officially entering in to "big girl" territory. One thing we haven't conquered yet, however, is the "big girl bed".

Right now, Baylee is still sleeping in her crib. She can climb out of it on her own, but she doesn't unless she knows we have told her it's okay, and she's small (just about 36 inches and 30 pounds) so she technically hasn't outgrown it yet. She loves her cozy little space so much, so it has been a hard thing to come to terms with, but I think it may be time to move her to an actual bed.

My reasoning? Well, we are going to be doing our embryo transfer for IVF soon, so there is a very good chance I might be pregnant here in the coming months. Baylee can get out of her crib but she still hasn't figured out how to get in it, so I have to pick her up and put her in it at nap and bed time. I know this is something I just won't be able to do and shouldn't do while I'm preggo. Also, I have this sense of doom hovering around me that the longer we wait the harder it will be. I know she has gotten more and more stubborn just in the last 6 months, so I can't even imagine how she's going to be as we get closer to her birthday. And on the positive side, I'm actually really looking forward to being able to snuggle in bed with her to read a book, say prayers, and sing our songs before lights out. I think it will be a sweet and precious time. :)

The hubby disagrees with me that it's time to move her, and my biggest dilemma is that I can totally see his side. He feels that we would be pushing her to grow up too fast, when it's clear that she is perfectly content sleeping in her crib. Also, she is a great sleeper 95% of the time, so by moving her in to a big bed we would be potentially asking for a world of trouble when it comes to night time sleep and naps. Her crib is the kind where the front comes off so that it can turn in to a toddler day bed, so we have discussed doing that. My concern, however, is that we would have to be going through two transitions (aka sleepless nights) getting her used to the day bed and then having to do it all over again when we finally get her a twin. 

The struggle is real.

In the meantime, I have been slowly getting things purchased for her new "big girl room" that we will eventually upgrade her to once shes booted out of the nursery. ;) (I'll do a blog post on that as it gets closer!) I know she will be excited and do just fine no matter what we decide to do, but it can be so hard to decipher the true "readiness cues", so currently I'm completely lost. 

How did you know your kiddo was ready? Any advice for a smooth transition? 

Help! lol

Until next time! XoXoXo

Today With Bay!

7:40 Good Morning Baylee!

 We had some quiet time in Mommy and Daddy's bed before heading to the front room. Baylee must have been dreaming about "The Lion King" because she woke up telling us all about "baby Simba".

 

8:00 Early morning guitar show!

 

8:10 Cinderella has entered the building! 

 

8:30 Breakfast time! 

 

9:00 "Check-ups" with Daddy! 

 So that Mom could get ready. ;)

 

10:00 Ready for our day! 

 

10:30 On the road! 

 

10:50 Starbs in hand! 

 

11:00 Ulta for a new curling iron for Mommy! 

 

11:30 Grocery store run! 

 

12:15 Homeward bound! 

 

12:30 Rest before nap time. 

 

1:00 Time for ni-night! 

 

 1:30 Naptime tea. 

 

4:00 Baylee finally wakes up! 

That was a long nap, girl!

 

4:15 Daddy time! 

I couldn't figure out why Brian wanted to go to Target alone with Baylee but then I remembered that my birthday is in 8 days. :)

 

4:30 Laundry and Netflix

 While the kids are away the Mamas watch real shows!

 

5:45 Cooking tacos. 

 

6:15 Dinner time! 

 

7:00 Scrub-a-dub! 

 

7:30 Warm milky :) 

 

8:30 Goodnight, my girl!

 

Until next time! XoXoXo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secondary Infertility is Still Infertility

I had a few lighthearted blog posts planned for this week, but the subject of secondary infertility has been weighing heavy on my mind as we wait for the next step in our IVF process. So, as I'm still the only one awake this morning, I thought I'd share some of my thoughts.

 

It's still so crazy to me that we are going through IVF in order to expand our family when we got so lucky with Baylee. Brian and I got married in October 2013, & we we pregnant by the end of November 2013. It happened so fast, & never in our wildest dreams did we ever think that we would be actively trying for baby #2 for two plus years & still have not one positive pregnancy test.

This secondary infertility journey has been the most challenging and frustrating journey of my life. The process of understanding why we were having trouble getting pregnant (if you don't know the full story, you can read it starting here) was tough and very humbling. I knew all along that Baylee was my miracle, I just didn't realize the extent to just how miraculous it is that she is even here with us. The odds are definitely not in our favor to ever be able conceive naturally again, & I am not a candidate for IUI, so IVF it is. 

"Well at least you have one." is a reaction that I am met with constantly, & every time I hear those words I feel a stab to the heart. I know they are not meant to be anything more than a reminder of how blessed I am to have my girl, & believe me, I thank God for her every single day, but I feel like those words completely diminish the pain I feel. Trust me, my heart breaks for the couples who would do anything to have just one baby, & I pray every day that they get their little bundle of joy! But just because I have one, that doesn't mean I am done, & I walk around with a hole in my heart every single day that only having another baby will fill. 

Hearing or seeing the words "Well at least you have one." used to make me feel so guilty. I would wonder to myself why Baylee wasn't enough, and how come I couldn't just be happy with the precious daughter God gave me and move on? But the truth of the matter is, I know in the depths of my soul that I was meant to be a mother to more than just one child. Every time I am with my sisters & we are giggling about things that happened to us when we were young I think to myself, "I want this for Baylee.". I want her to have siblings who she can grow up to be best friends with. I want her to have memories of the games her & her siblings played & the adventures they used to go on. 

My heart & family are in no way complete, and "Well at least you have one." is not comforting in the least. Secondary Infertility is still infertility, & while I know that me & the other women in a similar situation don't ask for sympathy of any kind, a little compassion would go a long way. I was recently on a Facebook Group for women going through IVF, & those of us who already had one child were facing such a backlash that one of the women created a separate group just for us to talk and not feel threatened. That is so sad to me that those of us who are already a mother are made to feel guilty to grieve.

Instead of sitting around being sad though, I have chosen to take the IVF bull by the horns. We are not there yet, but I know in my heart that I WILL have another baby, and then maybe even 1 or 2 more after that, because I have faith that God put me down this path for a reason. It may not be conventional, but it's mine, and I'm trying to find it in my heart to be able to look back and love the journey even though it's been the bumpiest road. 

So, if you know someone who is already a mother, but having trouble expanding her family, please don't remind her that at least she has a child. She knows, & she praises God on the daily for that, but if her heart is still longing for more babies, she has every right to feel the way she feels. 

"There is a unique pain that comes from preparing a place in your heart for a child that never comes." -David Platt

Until next time! XoXoXo 

Valentine's Day 2017!

Happy Hump Day, friends! Did everyone have a great Valentine's Day? Baylee & I were lucky ladies and had Brian home for the whole day, so we had a wonderful V-Day indeed!

We started the day with our festive breakfast tradition of french toast cut in to cute shapes and topped with Nutella and strawberries. It was so delicious, and if I didn't know how many calories it was, I think I would eat that for breakfast every day! We also enjoyed some coffee and pink milk. After breakfast, we exchanged our gifts. Brian got me a couple of cards & boxes of chocolates (1 from him and 1 from Baylee), a box of chocolate covered strawberries (he clearly wants to fatten me up!) and some heart shaped earrings. I got him some of his favorite treats with "punny" sayings on them...he loved it! For Baylee, we got a couple of books, some candies, a coloring book, & The Lion King DVD to add to our ever growing Disney DVD collection. She was so excited and so thankful! I love watching her open gifts, because even the smallest things make her so excited. :)

 

 

 

It was a beautiful day, so we decided to take Baylee to the park to run around. I got her all dressed up in her pink and red outfit; & we spent the rest of the morning chasing the little monkey all over the equipment while trying to get a photo here & there. Brian and I managed to get a total of one picture taken of the two of us & it was a horrible selfie! Boo! We really need to get in to the habit of having someone take a picture of us together on special days. 

After the park, we went home for nap time, & Baylee managed to sleep for 2 1/2 hours! It was amazing. When she woke up, we got ready to head out of the house to take her to her gymnastics class. She had a great class, & was even awarded a "Shining Star" for exceptional effort! Yay! My little Olympian-In-Training! ;)

For dinner, we went to one of my favorite restaurants, Souplantation. We aren't big on going out to a fancy dinner on Valentine's Day & usually make dinner at home because it's always so crazy, but since we were already out we decided that all-you-can-eat soup and salad sounded wonderful! They even had red velvet lava cake for dessert, & it was the perfect ending to a beautiful Valentine's Day. :)

 

I'm one loved Wifey & Mama, that's for sure! :)

 

Until next time! XoXoXo

 

 

Love List!

We finally had some awesome weather here in Southern California today! It was sunny & in the upper 70's, and totally got me in the mood for a Love List! :)

Baylee has been in gymnastics for about a month now, & I have never seen the kid happier about anything in her life! She wakes up every morning and asks me "Is it gymnastics day?!" and loves to show people her "front roll" and "table". Since it looks like gymnastics is going to be a long term thing, we have been on the hunt for more leotards! We love these leos from June & January. They are soft, comfortable & come in the best solid colors. I also have my eye on these from Morgan & Mae Co. They are so pretty and you can have a cute saying screen printed on any one!

We are getting over colds here in the Tibbetts' house, so I have been loving on my oils more than ever. I made natural Lysol by combining On Guard oil and water in one of these spray bottles. I also made a topical germ killer to help keep us all healthy by combining a carrier oil with On Guard in one of these roller balls. They turn out so cute and are easily kept anywhere in the house so that I remember to use them more often.

This weather today has me ready to go out and buy some new sundresses for Baylee! I'm obsessed with these tutu tank dresses from Old Navy. I think she needs every color! Also, these midi dresses from Gap are too cute and could be worn with a cardi while the weather is still a little cool.

So, I'm totally late to the party with the whole felt ball garland thing, but I love them so much, and I am committing to getting one for the house for spring/summer decor! I love the selection from Hooray Everyday! She even makes baby name garland, and garland with interchangeable numbers for "bump-dates".

The clouds are already rolling in for the next storm that's supposed to start tomorrow, so today was just a tease, but it was a reminder that spring will be here soon! I can't wait for many sunny days spent outside with my girl! :)

Until next time! XoXoXo

Our Potty Training Story

Potty Training. Those are two words that are so bittersweet to a mothers' ear. It means no longer having to buy and change diapers, and yet it also means entering a whole new world of butt wiping, cleaning up pee off the floor, and begging your toddler to please, please, pleeeease just poop in the potty. So much fun. 

I wrote this post back in June, when Baylee was 23 months old, all about how terrified I was to potty train and that I didn't even know where to start. I was pretty sure back then that Baylee could stay in diapers forever and I would be okay with that. (Maybe not?) Flash forward to September, and an actual pep talk from a mom that I met at a concert (so random right?) who had just potty trained her 26 month old twins got me revved and ready. Baylee was also almost 26 months old, so if she could do it with two girls of the same age, I could definitely conquer just one...right? I got all the tools we needed: panties, pull-ups, a potty chair, a potty seat for the big toilet, and lots of diluted apple juice. We were going to do the 3 day challenge that is in every single potty training pin on Pinterest. Ha. Looking back now, I laugh.

I'm sure there are a gazillion kids who "potty train in a weekend", but not mine. Oh Lord, not mine. Before we get in to that, though, I guess my main struggle was some confusion on what "potty trained" actually means. For me, potty trained means my kid can wear underwear or a pull-up all day and keep it dry, while most of the time letting me know when they feel the urge to go. Reminding them often and occasional accidents may ensue, but for the most part staying dry until they reach a toilet means they are potty trained. What I now believe the 3 day challenge definition of "potty trained" is: when said child sits on the potty they poop or pee. While this is the most crucial part, at least in my opinion, this is only step 1 in the process. Perhaps I was overly optimistic, but I literally thought that I could have Baylee trained to my definition at the end of 3 days. It turned out that it was actually me who was getting trained.

Day 1 was accident city. I mean, the kid peed everywhere, and I was so frustrated. If I wanted to clean pee out of my carpet, I would have gotten a puppy. I thought about throwing in the pee soaked towel for a couple of months, and trying again when she was older, but I was stubborn and determined. It was then that I remembered the wonderful art of bribery.

So, on day 2, every time Baylee went pee on the potty she got a white chocolate chip. Poop equaled two white chocolate chips. Suddenly, we were getting somewhere and she was finally "trying" to go and getting it that pee in the potty=candy. She still had quite a few accidents, though, because she wasn't telling me when she felt the urge, and I had to resort to taking her every hour on the hour.

By day 3, I was a well trained watch dog. As soon as that clock hit anything o'clock we sat on the potty, Baylee got her chocolate chip, and mommy was exhausted. There were no more accidents, but I was practically in tears from spending the entire day in the tiny bathroom. This wasn't what I had in mind at all.

I started googling "When will my toddler start telling me that they need to go potty?" because I was now terrified to leave the house. There was no way we could reach a toilet every hour while we were out and about. Everything I read told me to chill out and that kids will tell you in time. I decided to take a breather, remind myself that "This too shall pass.", and keep trying.

As the weeks went by, I phased out the chocolate chips, and stretched the time I took Baylee potty from 1 to 2 to eventually 3 hours. About a month in, she started telling me when she needed to poop, and about 6 weeks in she finally started to let me know she had to pee. Did she still have accidents? Absolutely, but I tried my best to not flip and let her know that she was a big girl and now needed to try her best to make it to the potty. I eventually switched to strictly pull-ups for some peace of mind while we were out of the house, and so that I didn't have any clean up when she did have an accident, and that really helped both of us from getting frustrated. 

It took a solid 4 months, but she finally got better and better at holding it, and letting me know when she really had to go. Just this week, almost 5 months in, I decided to start trying to go pull-up free, and only wear undies, and I am proud to say that Baylee has stayed dry for 3 days now! Little accomplishments like that have been our saving grace through this whole ordeal.

So, for those of you in my boat, who don't have a child with a "potty train in 3 days" personality, my best advice to you is: don't potty train in 3 days. Take your time. There is absolutely nothing wrong with going at your child's pace and helping them be proud and eager to go potty instead of pressured and frustrated. Also, if I had it to do over again, I probably would have waited another month or two. I know a lot of kids potty train early, but biologically, their ability to hold it and recognize what the "urge" feels like just isn't there until they are closer to 3 years old. So, unless you absolutely have to, don't rush it. Kids absolutely know when they are ready.

And when they are finally ready, and stay dry for 3 days straight, you can celebrate with a lollipop. :)

 

Until next time! XoXoXo