What's In My Hospital Bag

I have the "second baby slackin'" thing going on over here, so I am 34.5 weeks and just now packing my bag! I will get it done and ready though, and hopefully we will be meeting her in just a few weeks! It's so nice to know what I definitely do want to bring and what I can leave at home this time around. 

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Here is a complete list of what I am packing bag (and some of the reasons why).

1. PinkBlush Robe. I plan on breastfeeding, and I feel like this will be the absolute most comfortable thing for that. Also, because I am having a C-section this time around it will make it easier for the nurses to check my incision. 

2. Milk Snob car seat cover. Not only is this the best car seat cover ever, it also doubles as a nursing cover!

3. Nursing tanks. You can seriously never have enough nursing tanks if you are breastfeeding or pumping. I have two that I am bringing to the hospital, but I plan on getting a few more for home. Also, a nursing bra!

4. Swaddle blankets. They definitely give you blankets to use at the hospital, but I love, love, love bringing my own. The ones I have are much softer, and will make for way cuter pictures. :) (blogger life)

5. Newborn outfits/accessories. I am bringing a few different outfit changes for the baby as well as some pajamas. The newborn snap tops from June & January are the absolute best for fresh babies!

6. Boppy. If you are nursing you will use this like crazy, I promise! I used mine every time I nursed Baylee for the first few weeks.

7. Pineapple juice. When my milk started to dry up while I was exclusively pumping, I started drinking pineapple juice every day and it helped tremendously. This time around, I am going to start drinking it in the hospital from day one just to try and get a head start!

8. Wireless speaker. Well, my original idea for the speaker was to have music to listen to while I was laboring, but since I am going to have her sectioned out now, I plan on using it for my few days stay in the hospital. I'm not a huge TV person, so it will be nice to have a little background music to drown out the hospital noises.

9. Pillow from home. Hospital pillows are pretty uncomfortable, so I highly recommend bringing your own.

10. Towel from home. Same as the pillow, hospital towels are small and scratchy, so I'm bringing a nice fluffy towel for my first shower. (A dark color is smart.)

11. Toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, body wash, loofah, shampoo, conditioner, face soap, Q-tips, and lotion.

12. Pajama pants. Hospitals are cold, so as soon as you can put on normal clothes, some cozy pajama pants are the best.

13. Going home outfit for me. I'm definitely not getting fancy, just leggings and a maternity shirt.

14. Phone and phone charger.

15. Chapstick.

16. Hair ties.

17. Camera and camera charger.

18. Shower flip flops...because ew.

19. Comfy socks and/or slippers. I will probably bring my moccasins for walking the hospital halls.

20. Newborn mittens.

21. Burp cloths. They give you wash cloths to use at the hospital for spit up incidents, but I find actual burp cloths to be so much softer and easier.

22. Car seat. For taking baby home!

23. Clothes/pajamas/toiletries for Daddy.

24. Snacks, because hospital food is kind of "meh".

25. A small gift for the baby to "give" to Baylee the first time they meet!

26. Makeup, because it's nice to freshen up and look/feel good for pictures.

Here are some things I brought last time around that I am definitely leaving at home. We either didn't use it, or the hospital provided plenty. 

1. Diapers

2. Wipes

3. Nipple cream

4. Diaper rash cream

5. Breast pump

6. Nursing pads

7. Baby book

Here's hoping I didn't miss anything! ;)

If I did, leave a comment below...I would love to add your suggestions!

Until next time! XoXoXo

   

Thirty Three Weeks

 

How far along: 33 weeks 5 days

Weight gain: 23 pounds, and wow is my belly getting heavy!

Stretch marks: Nope

Sleep: Sleep is mostly good once I find a comfortable position. Having crazy dreams about my c-section though! lol

Best moment this week: I finally got the nursery 90% done! Just a few more things and we will be completely ready.

Worst moment this week: I've been having a lot back pain and crazy braxton hicks. 

Miss anything: I've been wanting a glass of wine or a margarita so bad.

Movement: Feeling her, but movements are super small because she doesn't have much room!

Cravings: Milkshakes, peanut butter, apples, bananas, watermelon, and honey roasted peanuts...I also may or may not have eaten an entire box of Teddy Grahams...

Anything make you queasy or sick: Nada

Looking forward to: I am supposed to be having an ultrasound soon to check on her growth and make sure we aren't looking at any IUGR (intra-uterine growth restriction) I can't wait to see her and get an estimate on how big she is right now!

Until next time! XoXoXo

Baylee At 3 1/2!

Baylee's half birthday is today, and I can't believe she is only 6 months away from turning 4! She has grown and changed so much since turning 3, so I thought I would do a little update on her!

 

Right now, Baylee is 38 inches tall and weighs 34 pounds. She has already started wearing 4T clothes, and is a size 7 shoe. She is doing amazing in preschool, and I'm constantly in awe of how smart she is. She has complete recognition of the entire alphabet and what sound each letter makes (she can also recall words that start with each letter) and can count to 30 without assistance. She has also started learning to trace letters and numbers at school, so we practice at home and she is doing great! She can now spell and recognize her name when it's written down. I have a feeling that if she keeps an interest, she honestly might be reading before kindergarten.

The first few months of Baylee being 3 were really hard for us as far as her behavior. She became a sassy threenager overnight, and we had no idea how to combat "the beast". After a lot of trial and error, we are in a much better place with her behavior now. She has been sleeping great in her big kid bed, and is starting to listen much better. We definitely still have our daily power struggles, and rough moments (or days lol), but for the most part she's gotten a lot better at understanding that there will be consequences for little girls who don't listen! (Taking away toys seems to be a very effective method for her.) Other than the listening issues, she's the sweetest girl with a heart of gold. She is as caring as compassionate as ever, and completely full of hugs, kisses and cuddles! She does great socially at school, and loves making new friends. I'm so proud of how friendly and loving my girl is. :)

 Baylee is still obsessed with dinosaurs and animals, and she has a new found love of playing with her baby dolls. She got a lot of new accessories for her dollies for Christmas, and it has been great big sister practice for her! She is so excited for her sister to be born soon, and asks me almost every day if its time for "her baby" to come out of my belly yet. She also started ballet and tap dance classes about 5 months ago, and she's completely in love with it. We had her in gymnastics last year, but I noticed she had been getting a little bored with it. She's a very musical kid, so dance has been a lot more enjoyable for her. Her teacher is amazing, and she looks forward to going every week. (Also, I'm not complaining about the adorable costumes and recitals...so cute!)

Here are Baylee's answers to her current favorites:

Favorite color?: pink and blue

Favorite toy?: my chubby puppy 

Favorite food?: chicken and soup

Favorite TV show?: Octonauts

Favorite game?: Lucky Ducks

Favorite snack?: fishy crackers

Favorite animal?: giraffe

Favorite song?: "ABC’s"

Favorite book?: "The Tawny Scrawny Lion"

Best Friend?: Maci and Sophie

Favorite Cereal?: frosted mini wheats

Favorite thing to do outside?: play on the slide

Favorite drink?: coffee (what?? lol)

Favorite holiday?: Halloween

What toy do you take to bed with you at night? My angel bear

Favorite movie: Beauty & The Beast

Favorite place to go?: In-N-Out

 

Baylee's great sense of humor keeps us laughing every day! It has been so much fun to watch her grow even more the last 6 months, and I can't wait to see how much she changes by this summer, especially with a little sister on the way!

 

Happy 1/2 birthday, sweet girl! 

Mama loves you to the moon and back!

 

 

Until next time! XoXoXo

 

 

 

 

Thirty Two Weeks

 

How far along: 32 weeks 5 days

Weight gain: 20 pounds

Stretch marks: Nope

Sleep: Starting to have very uncomfortable sleep, but when I do finally get in a good position I sleep pretty hard!

Best moment this week: My prenatal massage was one of the best decisions of my pregnancy. I totally regret not doing one with Baylee.

Worst moment this week: I'm swollen and retaining enough fluid that the wedding rings had to come off! So sad!

Miss anything: Not having a bowling ball press on my rib cage all day :)

Movement: Still feeling kicks down low but no huge movements anymore, she's pretty stuck in place.

Cravings: Watermelon (which is completely out of season so I haven't been able to have any), milkshakes/ice cream, and still apples and peanut butter.

Anything make you queasy or sick: Nope, nothing at all!

Looking forward to: We are finally starting to make huge strides in getting the nursery ready! We should be able to put the crib together this weekend!

Big sister can't wait to meet her little sister!

Until next time! XoXoXo

Third Trimester Essentials

 

The third trimester is definitely the hardest, (in my opinion) so having some essentials to stay comfortable and make it a little easier is key to survival. I only have a few weeks left before I get to meet this sweet baby, so here are some things I have been using on the daily to get through this last bit of pregnancy:

1. Raspberry Leaf Tea. This tea isn't the best tasting in the world (honestly it kind of tastes like nothing and then sometimes paper haha) but it's great for toning uterine muscles. I will likely be having a c-section, but I have still been drinking a cup of this every day just in case. (If nothing else, it will help my uterus get back down to normal size!) If baby does happen to flip head down, I will up it to two cups a day around 36 weeks.

2. Peppermint Essential Oil. Peppermint is one of my favorite oils, so I go through a lot of it. I diffuse it for an energy boost, add a few drops of it to my water if I have an upset stomach, and rub it on my temples for those awful third trimester headaches. Also, as of late, I have been rubbing it across the top of my belly to encourage little girl to flip. So far, all it does is get her a little hyper, but it's definitely worth trying!

3. Target Maternity Tees. I don't know why it took me so long to discover these, but now I'm addicted and every time I see a new color, I get it if they have it in my size at the time. They're the comfiest v-neck shirts, and they're only $12.99, so I don't feel like I'm breaking the bank for something I am only going to wear for a couple more months. 

4. Nursing Bra. I am still in the market for a really good nursing bra, but for now this is the one I have because it's super comfortable. Instead of buying brand new bras, I always just invest in a nursing bra during pregnancy because I know it will get months and months of use.

5. Cliff Bars. These have been a saving grace for me when I'm hungry and need food now. I always keep one in my purse, and a box stocked in my cupboard. The blueberry stuffed with almond butter is my absolute favorite.

6. Birthing/Yoga Ball. I actually haven't blown mine up yet, because of baby being breech, but when I was pregnant with Baylee I sat and/or bounced on that thing every day in my third trimester. It helped relieve so much pressure off my back, and when I went in to labor, it did wonders to help me progress quicker.  

7. Contigo Water Bottle. I have these on my first trimester essentials list as well, but they are even more important in the last trimester. Keeping hydrated is a huge deal to prevent early labor and other complications, and without a big water bottle to take around with me, I completely forget. Wherever I go, my water bottle goes too so that I can remember to drink enough water to stay healthy!

What are your favorite things for the third trimester? I would love to add to this list!

Until next time! XoXoXo 

Thirty One Weeks

 

How far along: 31 weeks 5 days

Weight gain: 19.5 pounds...I may actually stay under 30 pounds this time!

Stretch marks: Nope

Sleep: Good nights and bad nights, but definitely not very comfortable. I tell everyone that I've reached the point where rolling over in bed or getting out a bed is a complete circus act!

Best moment this week: We had the most relaxing weekend. It was so nice just to stay home and chill with Brian and Baylee.

Worst moment this week: Not a "moment" per say, but baby girl being breech is getting exceedingly uncomfortable. Her head is right by my rib cage pushing on my left lung and stomach, so breathing and eating are kind of a challenge these days.

Miss anything: Walking around without getting winded.

Movement: Oh yes, her bladder tap dance is getting perfected. Now if only I could teach her how to flip!

Cravings: My sweet tooth is making a return...I've been wanting cheesecake and vanilla bean ice cream. Also salad; all the time.

Anything make you queasy or sick: Nope, in fact I have a hearty appetite, but I get full super fast.

Looking forward to: My OB appointment next week, and finally getting the nursery all organized!

Until next time! XoXoXo

Surviving Is Thriving In 2018!

 

This is normally a blog post I write every year about all my resolutions that I have and how I intend to keep them, but I have deemed 2018 the year of no resolutions! Why? Because keeping the tiny humans alive is hard enough. ;)

As some of you know, along with being due to have our second baby within the next 8 weeks (omg!), Brian also started a new career in November. This new job is extremely demanding for him both physically and time-wise, so I am sole caretaker for Baylee and the household 90% of the time right now. Being pregnant and taking care of a 3-year-old virtually on my own has been no joke, but I know I have a village ready and willing to come help out once the new baby is here! 

That being said, surviving will be thriving with this new crazy life of ours, and even though I'm sure I will be pulling my hair out come March and beyond; I seriously can't wait! These are the days! I know I will look back in a few years and laugh about my lack of showers, diet consisting of Baylee's leftover PB&J and anything else I can find to grab and eat quick, and complete exhaustion. All of it will be out-shined by the double cuddles and kisses that are headed my way from my two daughters. :)

Any advice for a soon-to-be mama of two? I'll take any words of wisdom I can get right now!

Until next time! XoXoXo!