Tiny Tip #3: Everyday items

Here's another Tiny Tip post that is short and to the point. Here are two items that I use every day that make my life a little easier…


First my Vera Bradley All in One Wristlet. Sometimes I do use a pocketbook for my stuff, but if I am out and about with Addison, mostly I just don't want the added hassle of juggling two bags. So I have put my coach wallet on temporary leave and instead I use the all in one. It holds my money, credit cards, ID and cell phone all in one easy to grab place. It's nice because for the times that I do use my own bag I don't have to transfer a bunch of stuff back and forth worrying if I left the house without my license. Here's what mine looks like.

It's also nice when there are where the handicapped stall is broken and the place you're at has no family restroom. Sometimes you need to abandon your stroller outside the stall because nature calls, you can grab that without trying to balance baby bag, baby, and oh yeah- pee. Moving on!

The second and last item for this post is a water carafe. I got mine from Ikea, I don't have a link because you can get these pretty much anywhere. The idea is that when you are making bottles with powder formula (for those mom's that do), rather than prepare the bottles and then put them in the fridge only to need to spend 5-10 minutes warming them back up while listening to a chorus of crying the whole time.  Try keeping a nice looking container of water on the counter at room temperature all the time and make each bottle individually. When we started doing that it dramatically changed our lives. No joke. And after a while of looking at a neon Nalgene bottle on my counter I switched to this one for aesthetic reasons.

Clearly it needed to be refilled.

"It takes a village"

I have been thinking the last few days about the phrase "it takes a village" and how that meaning has changed over time. A friend of mine responded to an article about this whole 'knockout game' crap by saying, that it's what happens when parents stop parenting and instead rely on "the village". It occurred to me when I read her response how much we have changed as a society since that phrase came into fashion. 

"It takes a village" has become a cop out for lazy parents who expect their children's teachers and the media to be the ones that teach them right from wrong. Parents have relieved themselves of the responsibilities that come with raising children and instead blamed it on the society around them that is failing their kids. Violent video games, movies, TV, and the internet are the "village" their kids were given and it's not mom and dad's fault that little Billy is the type of teenager who would punch a total stranger in the head for fun. We have to reclaim this phrase because I truly believe that the message has been lost in translation. Parenting is a full-time and exhausting job. It's much harder, much more tiring and a million times more stressful than anyone could have expressed to me before I was a parent. It's also MUCH more rewarding and I have never been happier. But the village I envision is less about the child and more about a support system for the parents. You may have seen this article in the NY Daily News about a woman in New Zealand who left her infant in the car while she ran in for a few things from the store. She left a clear note with her number in case a passerby saw that the baby needed something. This was clearly a woman who needs a village. It seems like she thought this out fairly calmly, and came to the conclusion that it was ok. Obviously you should never ever leave your child unattended anywhere, LEAST of all in a car. But what pains me about this is that this mom should have had a support system in place to help her in those small ways that make all the difference- like watching her baby while she gets some groceries. It's easy to vilify her, but where were her friends and family?

I am incredibly lucky that I have both of my parents and both my husband's parents nearby. Two of those four grandparents are retired, one is semi-retired and only my mom is working full-time still. This means that I have a lot of highly qualified babysitters in my arsenal who are ready and willing to help out. I think they are the reason that I survived those first few months. When you are holding on by a thread, someone watching the baby while you shower or doing your dishes can make all the difference in your sanity. They were, and are, my village. We need to empower other moms and dads. If you have  a friend or neighbor who is struggling ask what you can do to help them to be the best parent they can be. Sometimes that means helping them have alone time. Sometimes that means making dinner, or emptying the dishwasher, or picking one of their kids up at school. Sometimes just offering helps. Let's be 'the village' for the parents we know, so that they can be empowered to raise the adults we would want as our neighbors. 

Big Ticket Items Review

So I am not the kind of blogger who is purchasing or receiving different kinds of strollers or pack and plays (yet) to review. All I have is what I registered for to tell you about. But hopefully my likes and dislikes about each item will give you some ideas about what you're looking for before you go shopping/registering. Here we go!

1.) Chicco Cortina Stroller in Limonata

I really wanted a travel system when I was registering. They are less expensive and I wanted to know that I could easily click my car seat into the stroller without worrying that the two weren't compatible. I guess in my mind since I wasn't buying them myself, I worried that by the time I opened them if they didn't work together it would be at the 11th hour that I was doing more research instead of focusing on baby and I didn't want to deal with that. In reality, there are about a thousand adapters you can get to make pretty much any car seat fit on a stroller securely. The don't have to be the same brand. If you love a stroller, go on the company's website and find out what adapter you would need to fit the car seat you like. Simple as that. Having said that, I will tell you I do like my stroller. It maneuvers like a dream and it is easy to open and close. HOWEVER, I wouldn't get it again. I literally had to bring my stroller with me when I was looking at cars because even folded up, it was huge. Also pretty heavy. I really wanted a cup holder and a big basket underneath when I was registering but in the end I don't use the cup holder all that much and the basket is inaccessible when the car seat is in. Many strollers are like that so if that storage is important to you, and trust me it will be, check to see if you can use it when the seat is fully reclined. If I were to go back in time and chose a stroller again I would pick something like the Mamas & Papas Armadillo stroller. For me, it's one of those items that I use ALL the time and it needs to be something easy to pop open and can move with ease when you are pushing a grocery cart with one hand and pulling the stroller with the other. You also want to have room for those groceries in your trunk so compact design is important.

2.) Chicco KeyFit Car seat

My car seat, I love. It's heavy to carry- however I didn't find a single car seat that was light weight and also had good reviews. I don't mind that it's heavy because I didn't carry it separately all that much and at the end of the day I wanted a CAR seat, not a carrier. It's easy to use and has a 5 point harness which makes me feel safe. Not too much to say about it.

3.) Medela Pump In Style Breast Pump

I have only two complaints about this pump system. It's expensive and I should have gotten the bra that goes with it. If you're having your first baby and you're not sure what kind of breast pump to get let me suggest renting one. My husband and I did the math and decided that it would be more expensive in the long run to rent for two kids, rather than buy one. Which we did. However, my supply dried up just shy of three months in. Many things contributed to that (a breast feeding post to come later) but do to that it would have been better for us if we got either a manual pump (some women prefer it) or rented a pump.  If you're not familiar with renting, I promise it's not as disgusting as it seems. You would buy the accessories kit which includes basically anything that is touching you or your milk. What you rent is the motorized portion and I believe the tote bag. If you decide to use an automatic version like mine, get the bra. I mocked it. I looked at the picture of the woman wearing pumps on both breasts and typing on her computer with one hand and cooking dinner with the other. I felt insulted that companies invented an item that would make it possible for a woman to take care of the household while also being milked like a cow. I got all feminist and righteously angry about it. But you know what? Keeping your elbows bent while trying to maintain TOTAL suction for 25 minutes hurts. Like seriously I think I was getting tennis elbow. And the minute you try and adjust even slightly you break the suction and have a mess on your hands (and shirt and pants and under ware). So skip the soapbox and get the bra.

4.) S1 by Saftey 1st High Chair

I don't think they make my high chair anymore. But I'm sure there is a newer version of the same thing. I like my high chair. I don't love it, but I don't think I would love any high chair. Here are some things to consider when picking a high chair. You want it to adjust in a lot of ways. It should tilt forward and backward. Move up and down. Collapse in a corner when not in use. Roll. You also want to figure out if you want a tray for eating like I have or if you are going to use your table and the high chair is just that, a chair. This is a popular one. Think about how many ages and stages it accommodates. Can it grow with your baby? Do you care about that? Or do you already have a booster seat so you would rather just get the best infant high chair that you can. As with all of these products there is no perfect choice. Because the best products are the ones that fit your individual needs. And while many needs are unanimous across the board like safety and convenience, most are not. The best thing you can do is to look at those registry suggestion lists and sit down with your spouse or partner and decide which items are most important to you. If you are inheriting some other the smaller items and you really want that expensive video monitor than that's important information to have. Maybe you want to have the top of the line stroller and you will pick out a less expensive swing and pack and play. Most of us won't be able to have the top of the line for everything, but since every child and parent are different you won't need everything either so don't worry about it.

5.) Baby Cache Lifetime Crib

I love my crib. I love the look of it. I love the durability of it. And it will grow with baby. I wish it had the front that moves down because now that Addison is bigger she is heavy and sleeping lower so my back takes a hit. But I don't even think they make those anymore for safety reasons. So my needs wouldn't be met by any crib. The thing they don't tell you about cribs (for those who are tight with money and let's face it- who isn't these days) is you don't need one. If you get a really good pack and play with the bassinet insert you could use that until baby is ready for a bed which happens way too quickly considering how much a wooden crib costs. It's probably not what your ideal nursery looks like on pinterest but in actuality it would be functional, cost effective, and when you travel baby would have the comfort of his regular crib with him wherever he goes. And how cute is this. Oh! Also, don't underestimate the awesome powers of the vibrate function. It's a little controversial, but since this is a place for me to share my experiences I will tell you that when the battery died in Addison's bassinet in the middle of the night, I had a panic attack. Sure I was always secretly worried that she would become addicted to it and eventually we would have to ween her off, but when she was three months old and we transitioned her into her big girl crib in her own room she did it without a hitch. Lucky? Maybe. But it bought us silence when we needed it so I wouldn't change a thing.

This was the first day she stood up in the crib and we had to lower the mattress.

Things I never thought I'd say...

Here are a few things that I never thought I would say… and then I became a parent. I'm sure I'm just starting to get to the good stuff that will make the ultimate list that I intend to hand her on her wedding day. But for now here are some I hope make you giggle. What are some on your list?


1. "Don't lick the couch." (See the wet spot next to her face?)

2. Where are your pants?

3. "Don't lick the toilet." (There will be a lot of these but no more pictures because… ew)

4. "What's all over your foot?" 

This needs further explanation. This picture may look like I did a foot print ink pad project, but no. This is what happens when you take the screen out of your window to put in the air conditioner and you store it behind the crib. Apparently my previously immobile baby rolled over and repeatedly kicked it through the bars of the crib. Clearly, mommy needs to wash it. 

5. "Don't lick the vacuum."

6. "Stop her before she licks her spit up off the floor."

The rest are quotes from my husband…

7. "It smells like the Bronx Zoo in here."  That's what happens when you empty the diaper genie and then forget to knot the bag before you close it. It's basically a weeks worth of poop stewing in the room. GROSS.

8. "How do I clean poop out of the carpet?"

9. "It feels warm" This was because she had a poopy diaper that leaked on him.

10. "Don't pull my nipple hair."

Hope this little list made you smile :-) Happy Monday!

The Honest Company

So I said in the Long Island Mommy facebook page that I had ordered my free trial of diapers and wipes and I also paid $5.95 for try a sample of the items in the Essentials Bundle. The trials included one pack of 10 wipes, 7 diapers, and a trial size of Shampoo/body wash, Face+Body lotion, Laundry detergent, Healing Balm and hand soap.  I have since tried all the items in the trial and I couldn't wait to tell you about it!!  The Honest Company is committed and centered around providing safe and non-toxic products that do not use health compromising chemicals or compounds. Now I was never a person who thought a lot about those things. I drink diet soda sometimes even though I have read time and time again that it's basically poison. No matter how many documentaries they put out I will always love me a Big Mac and even though it gives me a headache I like the smell of my bathroom when I use bleach.  And then I had a baby… Things sit differently in your mind after baby. I heard Jessica Alba on a talk show explaining that there is little to no regulation on baby products. Here's what got me, she said that when a shampoo says "No tears" it's because they add a chemical that numbs the baby's eyes so they don't feel the burn. I sat there stunned. I couldn't have that. Now every mother has different priorities and maybe you don't care about the fact that your name brand diapers have harsh chemicals in them, and I am not judging you. Truly. It's what makes the world go around. Maybe I care about my child's ability to create and pretend and you care more about your baby being well traveled, or being the mom that makes all of her baby's food. That's ok with me! Who is to say who's right? But here is something we can all agree on… cost and convenience are high priorities to moms!

I called The Honest Company after loving my trial samples (they made it through the night!) because I wanted to order the bundle but since their website says they ship every 4 weeks I knew we wouldn't use all those diapers. I am so glad I called and didn't just cancel my bundle order. For $79.95 you receive 6 packs of diapers and 4 packs of wipes. The number of diapers in a pack depends on the size you choose, just like any other diaper company. The agent I spoke to couldn't have been any nicer and he had all the answers. He basically told me that I could delay the shipment as long as I like and I wouldn't be charged until it shipped! It made this decision a no brainer. The price is totally competitive and I can sleep easier knowing that they are better for my baby. And it comes right to my front door!!


Seriously I can't say enough good things about this company.

Check them out for yourself!

http://honest.com/accept_invitation/422409

Investment purchases for Baby, that are not baby items!

Plenty is said about which stroller is the best and which high chair is the ultimate. But what about those items that are not intended for baby, but will prove very useful? I will list some that have come in handy for me!


1. Immersion Blender

I got this immersion blender for Christmas when I was pregnant. My mom knows I like a good kitchen gadget and thought I would like that it matched my color scheme. Turns out that not only do I like it for cooking for Ryan and I, but it works wonders on making baby food. Now if you have a blender you could just use that. I just found that when I did, I had to scrape down the sides ALOT in order to get all the lumps out. For my daughter, texture is king. There are only a few things she doesn't like at all, but even her favorites are met with a face of disgust (proof) if it isn't completely smooth. The immersion blender takes care of that.

2. Keurig

I can't emphasize enough how completely head to toe exhausted you will be during those first few months. You know how you used to feel after finals week? When you were up all night studying and then dragging yourself to tests all week and you kept yourself going with the thought, "I will just get another cup of coffee because I only have three more days and then I can sleep till 2:00pm every day for a month!" And that was a week. A week. This is months. And if you are a coffee drinker at all you are not going to have the energy to wrestle with filters and measuring. This bad boy saved my life. Ryan and I would joke that before baby we would swear off caffeine after 3pm because otherwise we would be climbing the walls at 3am. Then in those first three months we would have a cup at 7:30 to get us till 9:00pm. Sleep deprivation sucks big time, but in the grand scheme of things it doesn't last long and when you're awake you see faces like this

 

(Addison 8 days old)

3. Kindle

This is one of the things that got me through some of the early days with the nighttime feedings. You need to stay awake and you haven't slept for more than two hours at a time for days, weeks, months. Yes, when it's daylight and I have had something to eat and I feel a little more like a human being than I am absolutely enjoying the bonding time for me and baby. Breastfeeding can be a truly wonderful time. But if no one else wants to say it, I will. When you are nursing 10- 12 times a day those first few weeks and you are exhausted then it doesn't have to be a rainbows and butterflies moment every single time. Sometimes her eyes were closed and it was all I could do to keep her awake because I knew if I didn't she would wake up 45 minutes later ready to start again. And I did not have the energy to have a loving  Lifetime original movie moment every single time she fed. Anyone who makes you feel like a bad mom for reading to keep yourself awake while feeding, is not being a fellow mommy warrior. Now I'm not saying that you should mindlessly nurse all the time. Lord knows it hurts enough that I doubt you will even be able to; but if you feel you have gotten a quality amount of time with your bundle that day and you just feel like getting in a couple chapters to get yourself to the next feeding, than READ ON SISTER! Of course you might substitute youtube videos, podcasts or Netflix. But this is a post on the Kindle because it helped me.

4. Tupperware

This is one of those things that I always said I was going to invest in but never did because I couldn't bring myself to pay money for something like that, when I could always use the old Chinese food containers or the empty tub of whipped topping. But during the Christmas season that I was pregnant with Addie Tupperware sets were one of those things that went on a great sale. I guess it's because it's also a great thing to have going into the season of hosting guests. Throw out anything you have without a matching lid. You don't need it and it will only serve to make your blood boil when you are holding on to your sanity by a thread and you dump leftovers into a container that you then discover has no matching lid. If you're like me it will then be like a Seinfeld episode they never wrote where you're angry you now have to clean this container and then you leave it out to dry, someone puts it back in the cabinet, and the cycle starts again. ("What is the deal with the mismatched tupperware?" Anyone? No one? ) Life is short, toss it. Or up cycle it. I'm sure pinterest can tell you how to turn a bowl with no lid into a bird feeder or a sky light.

5. A good bathrobe

So you're about to be a mom? Well then you're about to have more company than you've ever had before. I think that's the reason God created the nesting instinct. Stock the freezer with some loaf cakes. I had a lot of company. I think we had visitors every day. And I was certainly not complaining. Want to hold my baby so I can shower? Perfect. Keep her warm and snuggled while I take a nap? Glad to have you! But here's what they didn't tell me. Breast feeding is messy. You leak, you spray, sometimes she unlatches and that doesn't mean your flow suddenly stops. All those pretty nursing tops? That's for mom's with 4 month olds. For me, it meant that I was changing my clothes all day long. And I never wanted to wear nice stuff. I wanted sweats. Sure I went out places (I started teaching privately again and singing at church when Addison was 2 weeks old) so I did get dressed up. But if I could help it, I wore pajamas. But if you have people in your home on a regular basis you're gonna want a forgiving bathrobe. Something that can take a hit (spit up, breast milk, even bath time gets you wet) and still be good to go. Also something long. You're gonna feel exposed enough after labor and delivery no need to add to it. I got maternity p.j.'s in preparation for baby and they came with a bathrobe that was a jersey material. Pretty. Not practical. One drip of anything on you and you will quickly find yourself signing for a package with the UPS guy staring at the nipple shaped wet spots on your chest. Or worse, your grandma. Get something thick.

Must Have Item: Violet

OK maybe must have is a bit strong. There are only a few musts when it comes to baby and they are all survival items. However this toy is pretty darn awesome. LeapFrog's Violet and Scout are incredibly popular toys and if you are a mom you probably already know about them. But if you are an expectant mom or just looking for a baby shower gift, these interactive pals are a great buy. They come with a USB port in their backs and you can visit the website with your pal plugged into the computer and customize the songs they play, as well as input your child's favorites. Then Violet or Scout will sing songs, and ask questions about those favorites as well as your baby's name! It's the kind of toy that you might think would be for older children, but in my opinion the best part about Violet/Scout is the same part that makes this "toy" great from the minute baby is born: the lullaby paw. Push that lullaby paw once and Violet/Scout will play 2 minutes of "bedtime music", press twice and it becomes 5 minutes, press 3 times and it's 10 minutes. When Addison was a brand new baby it was a God send to have that very portable bedtime routine that helped her relax and fall asleep. Now that she's a little older, it's a great cue that it's time for a nap, especially when we are away from home and she's out of her normal sleepy ritual. Besides, she just LOVES the happy songs Violet sings and she claps her hands when Violet says her name.

Halloween 2013

This year we celebrated Addison's first Halloween. She was an adorable owl. I actually bought her costume after Halloween last year when I was stir crazy during Hurricane Sandy. I desperately needed an escape from the storm aftermath and so Mom and I took a little shopping trip and I found this on the clearance rack. This post has absolutely no mommy tip aspect, just showing off my beautiful owl. :-D

Happy Halloween!!

Expectant Mommy Tips :Part I

From the moment we announced my pregnancy, I was amazed at the amount of love and generosity Ryan and I were shown. We were given many gifts. It was wonderful how excited people were to meet our baby. Since Ryan and I were moving while we were pregnant it was difficult to have any kind of real organization. But heed my warning: have a system in place. Whatever works for you, just stick with it. Here are some of the ideas that I used once we moved into our new house (when Addison was 9 days old- holy stress Batman).

1.) Keep the clothing you have for baby separated into sizes. That way you can easily see what sizes you have a lot of and where you need to fill in the blanks. You also might get a really cute outfit that you love, from a few different people. But the nice thing about that is you can just exchanged the extras for different sizes. Why not enjoy that cupcake onesie for sizes 3 months, 6 months and 9 months! And on the same token, you can take a glance at a full closet and say to yourself, "I really love this but baby has quite a few pairs of 6 month size pajamas. So I'll exchange it for 9 months and get more wardrobe balance." Baby clothes, especially Carters, are very easy to exchange/return. I almost never had a receipt and I never had a problem bringing things back.

2.) Have a separate place for all baby product instruction manuals. I have a file in my filing cabinet for all the instruction manuals that I have for things around my house. But since everything for baby from toys to furniture and even spoons and teething rings have specific instructions on use, cleaning and assembly you will have a large volume of them. Even items that you will use right away, don't get rid of the manual. Here's why. First- a LOT of baby products are intended to grow with baby and you don't want to get to the next stage and not know how to adjust the item for growth. Second- even if you are cleaning or using that item three times a day every day right now, eventually you will put the item away and then take it back out when you have another baby. I promise you, with all the gadgets you have now, and will have later, you won't remember what can be washed in cold water or what is dishwasher safe or how to assemble that swing again.

3.) Keep a stash of stamps. You will send out Thank You notes. Many many thank you notes. And I am sure that in the time that passed between when I opened a present for Addison and then realized I didn't have stamps, and then found time to buy some- I probably forgot who I sent a note to and who I didn't. It's terrible. My mom raised me better than that. But there is no way to over estimate just how stressed and busy you will be once baby is here. Showering, dressing, hair drying, and the inevitable redressing (baby puke, leaking breast milk, pureed carrots- take your pick) alone is an hour long process and then you have to start feeding again. It takes real effort and a lot of time and patience to get out the door so do yourself a favor, before baby arrives and stock up on anything you can. The last place you will want to be when you have a little one, is the post office. And like I said, people fall through the cracks.

4.) Keep a list of toys by age. If you have a few toys for baby that are for an age they haven't reached yet, keep a little list. These milestones go by so fast and sometimes the age that a gift is intended for is so brief a window that if you put something in a closet you may forget about it until that window has already passed. For instance anything that is geared toward crawling will be a short period of time.

My Postpartum Hemorrhage

I decided to write about my birth story for a number of reasons. One- I loved reading them when I was pregnant to try and prepare myself for any possible outcome. Then after I had Addison I wanted to read birth stories because I had been through this enormous change and challenge and I wanted to not feel alone. Two- because I want to chronicle the aftermath for myself. They say, you forget the pain but I haven't forgotten the trauma of being that scared. Hopefully writing it down will help. So here we go...

I didn't have the easiest pregnancy. I developed gestational diabetes in my 24th week, so I had to test my blood 4 times a day, take a pill every day and count every carb that went in my mouth when all I wanted to eat was Big Macs. Then I dealt with two kidney stones. TWO. And there was the time that I fell down the last few stairs in the middle of the night. I was fine, but because of a big bruise on my back my doctor sent me to the hospital just to be safe. All in all, I realize it could have been much worse and at the end of the day I had a totally healthy baby, so this was all a small sacrifice to make for the greatest possible good. My fear going into labor and delivery was that our daughter's journey to our arms was going to be just as eventful. Thankfully, everything went smoothly and after about 14 hours of labor Addison Casey was born at 11:43 in the morning. After Addison and I were given a clean bill of health, all four grandparents came to meet our newest family member. Later in the day a few friends came to visit and at about 10 pm at night when visiting hours were over and Ryan and I had been awake for over 36 hours, I decided to Facetime with my brother who lives in Las Vegas. I was standing in our room and holding our brand new daughter when I felt what I thought was water dripping down my leg. Ryan and I both looked down to see a stream of blood coming down, and coming down fast. I shouted to my brother that I had to go and Ryan took the baby from me as I pressed the call button.

I know it sounds silly- truly I do- but I didn't want to get blood on the bed. So instead of sitting down, I bent my knees and tried to keep the still steadily flowing blood on the tile away from my feet. The nurse came into the room and her face instantly dropped. She asked if I could reach the call button and I said yes, and pushed again. When another nurse answered the nurse at my side yelled "CALL A CODE" and then to me she said, "Get into bed!" I fought my polite instincts to cause as little mess in someone else's home as possible and did as I was told, but I slipped in what I now realized was a pool of blood that spread half way across the room.

Because I gave birth in a teaching hospital (think Grey's Anatomy)- calling a code meant every attending, resident, intern, nurse, nursing student, med student, custodian, cafeteria worker and security guard in the maternity wing came rushing into my room to find me now forced into an exam position apologizing for staining the on call nurse's shoes. They quickly determined that my uterus had not fully contracted after labor, despite the delivery room whopping to the torso I took postpartum.

I will tell you, I have never been so scared. For nine months you worry about the health of your baby. And if you think about your own health it is usually in the context of making sure that baby is getting what it needs from you. People tell you "Women have been having babies for thousands of years, don't worry", but what I wanted to say was, "Yeah and until recently it had an incredibly high mortality rate!" It is completely natural to be worried. Most likely you will have worried for no reason, but at the moment when there were, no exaggeration, 15-20 people in my room- I thought, Oh my God- I didn't prepare myself for our daughter growing up without a Mom.

'I should have written her a letter' I thought. 'I should have given her a list of the things I wanted her to know! I should have made sure she knew she was worth giving my life for. I should have told Ryan that I love him and I know he can do this on his own." I know that it sounds dramatic but when your nurse 'calls a code' and you can see more blood than floor tiles, you assume the worst. "Complications happen." You think. "And I guess I'm the 1%"

Thankfully, after much simultaneous poking and prodding from a doctor rubbing my stomach, a doctor inserting a catheter, a nurse taking my blood pressure, a nurse changing the sheets while I'm in the bed (I know. Even in my state of mind at the time I still appreciated the impressiveness of this feat.), and a nurse- believe it or not- taking blood; I was 'fine'. Sometimes I appreciate the calm tone of voice doctors and nurses use to prevent patients from panicking, and then there are times when it seems like they are dismissing your feelings as crazy. As if to say, "Don't get hysterical. A janitor mopping up blood and pale faced nurses giving alcohol wipes to traumatized new dads so they can clean the blood from their clothes happens every day." In fact, it doesn't happen every day. I thought I was going to die while my brand new baby slept in the nursery after being whisked away during the chaos. It was horrible and I will never forget it.

It is also a testament to how amazing it is to be a mom because the minute this new bundle was returned to me, she over shadowed all that. She was here and so was I. I knew from that moment on that my life became more important because of her and that thought helped every time I felt I couldn't take any more of the sleepless nights. Of course I could. Because I survived two kidney stones, gestational diabetes, twice weekly sonograms and heart monitors, a tumble down stairs, and the blood and guts story above and I am now a mommy warrior.

Tiny Tip #2- Preparing for Baby

Something that I didn't think about before baby, was the newborn photo shoot. I knew I wanted newborn pictures taken but I guess I hadn't really given any thought to when that happens. In my mind, it was a few weeks after baby was born, maybe a month. Actually since babies look different every day, in those first two weeks especially, if you choose to have newborn photos taken they recommend as soon as possible. We are lucky enough to have an incredible photographer in the family, Caroline Rocchetta, and she offered to shoot Addison's debut pictures. She prepared us beautifully for the photo session telling us what temperature the house should be at to have the most cooperative baby, she brought props with her and she was wonderful and sweet with our 11 day old infant. Thank goodness for her. The thing I wish I had done before I had baby, was to collect all the cute hats and stuffed animals or headbands that I wanted her to be photographed in. Once baby was born and I was just happy to survive from feeding to feeding. Thankfully between my husband and Caroline, we got exactly what I wanted but it could have been even easier if I just had put things together in a box somewhere in preparation for the chaos. She had been given two amazing hats of a strawberry and an apple that I would have loved her to be photographed in. I took pictures of them, but it's not the same as Caroline's beautiful shots! Seriously, tip inside the tip, use this woman-she's a talented, kind and caring woman who has the cutest 1 year old ever so she totally understands what mommy is looking for.

Yes or No: Diapers

I have been trying to come up with different post categories as I make each entry, just for the sake of searching purposes. Some are "Tiny Tips", "Must Haves" and now I will be adding to that, "Yes or No". This Yes or No will be some thoughts on diapers. I'm going to steer clear of brand suggestions and I'll talk more about that later, but instead focus on diapering accessories and new mommy temptations that I fell into.

NO
1.) Opening all your diapers to complete your baby preparations:

If you are an expectant mommy and you've already had your baby shower at some point you probably were gifted with some diapers. You also might have gotten yourself a diaper stacker like this or this. Maybe you have a cute basket that you plan on putting your diapers in that will compliment the nursery, like I do. But do yourself a favor and resist the urge to tear into that package of diapers and display them in your future darling's room. At least until they are in your arms. Here's why- just like your clothes, diapers are not created equal. You will quickly find that you prefer one brand over another for any number of reasons like fit, leaks, price, smell, chemicals or absorbency. Even though Huggies and Pampers may be close in price and close in the same pound range, they are cut differently and you might prefer one or the other at different times in your child's development. My angel, for instance, had a better fit from Huggies when she was a newborn, but as she grew and she got longer and more lean we got a better fit from Pampers. I would suggest trying the diapers that the hospital will give you first, and if they are to your liking than buy that big ole box and have at it. But just in case you have a closet full of Pampers and discover that after a few leaks you bought a small package of a competing brand and it worked better for your baby's shape, don't waste the $40 just return them!

2.) Wipe warmers, baby powder, changing tables:

Baby powder may be great for getting sand off your feet after a day at the beach, but we now know it is unsafe for baby. He or she could inhale it and it's pretty unnecessary anyway. As for wipe warmers and changing tables, I personally feel they are two examples of a waste of money. Changing tables work for a lot of people, I realize, but I felt it was a piece of furniture that would be completely useless when my baby was potty trained. And since you can put a changing pad on the floor (safest for baby but slightly less comfortable for mom) or on top of a low dresser, I would rather put my money elsewhere.

YES
1.) Diaper clutch:

When I was preparing to go on vacation for ten days to Las Vegas and San Francisco with my 6 month old, I did A LOT of reading about traveling with babies. Many moms weighed in with suggestions and tips. As helpful as those were, and I will write a post about my travel experiences soon, I really paid special attention to the items they suggested investing in. I did my homework, and decided that I would purchase a diaper clutch. This diaper clutch to be exact. I debated back and forth about this because I already had a changing pad, the one that came with my diaper bag, and everything else I needed would be in my diaper bag. In the end, I bought it (in part because I thought it was so cute). It will now be a staple at any baby shower I attend. Sure you already have a changing pad, and diapers, and wipes ready in your bag. But without a clutch, you do not have them all wrapped around your wrist neatly kept together!! It keeps all those things easily accessible and you just know your changing station is portable and just reach in your bag and pull out all your diapering essentials in one swoop. Not to mention the fact that it hangs like a wristlet, leaving you two available hands to carry baby into the bathroom. The JJ Cole clutch that I purchased also has a padded section for baby's delicate head!

2.) Vaseline:

If you go to the store to buy diaper cream you'll probably be wondering if you accidentally wandered down the perfume aisle for what they charge per ounce. When your little one gets a case of diaper rash, you'll want to fork up the cash to have the good cream on your side (I like Desitin), but for every day changes when you are going through 10 diapers a day and your baby's bum looks as smooth as a baby's... wait... you can use vaseline. It will help prevent diaper rash, much like it helps prevent irritation on your lips. And at a fraction of the price, you'll be happy to save the "good stuff" for a rare occasion.

3.) Diaper Genie:

Just get one.

4.) A list of things that make it sound like you're planning a murder, only messier and harder to stomach:

 Keep some antibacterial gel and some plastic grocery bags nearby, but out of reach of baby. How do I put this gently... sometimes your sweet angelic baby as a dirty diaper that could bring a grown man to tears and it won't always fold up nicely into the diaper pail. Keep a few grocery store bags and perhaps a roll of paper towels close by for those times when snapping the tabs on your baby's diaper seems like it should come with the sound effect of fire alarm.

Magic Erasers on the cheap!

I'm sure many of you have seen on Pinterest those posts about generic magic erasers and thought 'I should try that'. But how many of you actually ordered them from China? Well I did and I am here to tell you, that you should too! I love magic erasers. They are easy, they clean amazingly well, and you don't smell like harsh chemicals all day. But they are also EXPENSIVE. So here is a solution to that problem. They arrived 1 week later and they work just as well as the name brand. Go, purchase, clean your house without cleaning out your bank account.

Here's where I bought mine.

Must Have Registry item

Registering for my baby shower was one of the most overwhelming and stressful experiences ever. Bridal shower registry was difficult also, but it didn't have the constant overtone of "if you pick the wrong item you could kill your child". If I didn't end up liking my dishes, in a few years I could replace them. But this was one of the first decisions I was making as a parent, it had to be right!

If you can avoid this line of thinking then you're a better woman than me because it drove me insane. But in the spirit of the online reviews which most 21st century moms do now, here is a must have that I have used every single day since my daughter was born.

The boppy! It transitions from breastfeeding pillow to tummy time pillow and much more. My daughter uses it every morning to drink her bottle. It keeps her at the perfect angle and it's comfortable. We also used it when we traveled this summer to Las Vegas and San Francisco. Since we didn't pay for a seat for Addison, I kept the boppy on my lap and she slept in it the whole trip. That meant that I didn't need to get an arm cramp from 4 hours of supporting my increasingly heavy angel. The boppy has many many covers that easily zip off and are machine washable. I would suggest having a spare. We don't and it would make laundry a little easier since she's not spitting up as much anymore and I don't do laundry everyday like when she was first born. Here is a picture, please ignore my toes.

Tiny Tip #1

When you are finished with a wipes container don't get rid of it. You can use it to keep plastic bags in your car for those times you have a dirty diaper on the go. It keeps them tucked away so that not only do you not have clutter in your car but it also keeps them out of the hands of little ones who should never be playing with a plastic bag. We also keep a small container of wipes in the glove compartment and on the high chair for quick clean ups. I might do a post on the many uses of baby wipes at a later date.

First Entry!

Hello!! My name is Jenn and I am writing this blog as a place to share stories, tips and tricks, support and positive mommy vibes for all the moms out there who feel like they have something to share that may just lend a hand to a fellow mommy warrior. Being a mom is a daily journey that is way more difficult and rewarding than anyone could possibly convey before you're a mom. It's something you have to laugh and cry through to truly understand. So if you have a story of a total mommy triumph or an epically challenging day with your little (or not so little) ones, please share and help give other moms a virtual hug.

I in no way claim to be a baby expert. I'm just a mom of one who thinks on a daily basis, "I've got to write that down so I don't forget when we have another baby". I'm living and learning from my own mistakes and successes and I would love to learn from yours as well.