Two Years Ago

Two years ago this week we set sail for our honeymoon cruise. I can't believe it has 2 years already! Cruising was a blast and cant wait to do it again. Bermuda was fantastic and I would go back in a second. 

I've heard such great things from people who have cruised with their families too. I'd love to take a Disney Cruise with Jack when he is a bit older.  

Have you cruised with your children? Would you suggest it?

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

Jack's 1st Pool Experience

It's official!

 We have a water baby. This kid LOVES the pool.

After such a long and freezing winter it has been so nice to get out and finally enjoy some summer fun with our little boy!  Jack has always loved the water so I'm not really surprised. He could not get enough in both his baby pool and the pool in our development. This little boy loves to splash and kick his feet. He pushes away from me when I hold him so he can be get as much of his body under water.

Jack sat in his float and just watched as the other children played, splashed and enjoyed themselves. We picked up some splasher diapers and they are well worth it. 

A friend of ours picked up a water table for her 1 year old son and Jack loved it as much, if not more than her son did. We wasn't tall enough to stand up so we just put him on top of it. He just hung out, eating some toys as his friend Michael played. 

Jack- 5 Months

Weight and Height- 

Jack now weighs 14.4 and is 24 inches long!  He's still wearing lots of 0-3 month clothes. Most of the rompers I bought him are 6 months and he is swimming in them. 

4 months shots were terrible. 

Health- 

Jack continues to go back to his group of specialists. We continue his nebulizer and percussion therapies 2 times a day.  He will be getting some blood work and chest x-rays in the next few months. At his last appointment his specialist used the words "fantastic"

Sleep- 

Jack is a great sleeper. He always gets up 1-2 feedings a night. 

Crying- 

Jack barely cries.He is such a happy little boy. We had our first screaming car ride last week. It was so sad. He SCREAMED his bloody head off. I sat in the back with him and replayed Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood over and over for the 40 minute car ride! 

Hair- 

I think he may be a strawberry blonde.

Our 1st Mother's Day 

Loves his sunglasses

Eyes- 

Blue! 

Clothes- 

Jack is wearing 3 months. He also fits in 0-3. The rompers I bought for the summer are all 6 months. They are all so big!

Feedings- Jack is nursing whenever he is with me. I pump all day at work. He takes 6-8 oz bottles every 3 hours. 

Routine- 

We have one down. Most days start at 5am. We begin with this treatments and follow that up with a feeding. Our nights usually contain another treatment and feedings. We all go to bed around 11pm. 

Social- 

He is so incredibly happy and friendly. Jack reacts to people he is familiar with and its usually a huge smile. He is now interested in his cousins and smiles at them when they play. 

Likes-

Pool- He LOVES being in the water. 

Bath time is a favorite too. 

Music- We all love the Frozen station on I tunes Radio. He still like when I sing to him. 

Family- He loves his grandmas and grandpas. He spends each day with older cousins, 1 and 4 years old. 

Bouncy seat- We got everything plus more at our shower but this little guy loves this $3 find from a yard sale. We burn out batteries like nobody's business.
MamaRoo- Its so soothing for him.
Cartoons especially Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood and Dinosaur Train

Dislikes- 

Getting his boogers sucked out.
Gas

Having his hands covered  

Mommy- 

Being at work is tough.I still hate being away from my little man but I like the routine of getting out of the house. I'm exhausted pretty much all of the time but its a good tired. I really want to start losing some weight. I'm huge and its so disappointing. I really hate to look at myself. I just don't want to work out either. I'd rather spend my time with Jack instead!

Milestones- 

Jack has rolled over. His legs are very strong and he enjoys standing. He is very chatty. He smiles and laughs too. He is sitting up well on his own. He is teething so bad. It's the worst. Some days he just screams for no reason! Jack has tried rice cereal although he is mainly on breast milk until at least 6 months.  Jack went in the pool or the 1st time. He also went to his 1st strawberry patch. 

Nicknames- 

Chicken Nugget, Stinky Doodle, Bug, Noodle, Jack Frost, Hungry Jack, Jack Attack

Look how he has changed!

Great Strides- Cystic Fibrosis Walk

Over the weekend we participated in the Great Strides Walk for Cystic Fibrosis. We created a team and Team Super Jack raised $2,325! I'm so grateful to my family and friends who donated and showed up to support us in our fight to keep Jack healthy and to get the word out about Cystic Fibrosis. This is a world I never thought I would be involved in but since I am I might as well fight as hard as I can to help find a cure for this devastating disease. 

In addition to the walk there is another way to help raise money for Cystic Fibrosis. Today, June 4th is National Running Day. Timex will donate $5 to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for every tweet or Instagram post containing:

#Imarunner

Please consider posting! 

Thanks you! 

Nursing Spot Essentials

Before Jack was born I had always knew I wanted to breastfeed for his health benefits as well as mine. No matter how beneficial breast feeding is it is still really hard work. Our breast feeding journey was a difficult one and it took us 3.5 months to get it right but patience and determination got us where we are today. I couldn't be happier. Up until Jack was a little over 3 months he refused to nurse. He would get close to me and he would scream. Not cry but scream his bloody head off. He would turn bright red and then purple. I would try so hard to not get discouraged but it was inevitable.   I continued to try at least once every day. It would usually end in tears for the both of us.

I did get a Medela pump through our insurance and I was only hoping to use it occasionally but it ended up being my only form of breast feeding Jack. I really hated pumping from the get go. I felt like I was never pumping enough for him and it just took so long. A few weeks ago Jack woke up began to cry while I was pumping. I knew he was hungry so I tried again and through some miracle this boy latched on. He latched that morning and we have been nursing ever since. My pump is only used while I am at work and I nurse him whenever we are together. To make us both comfortable I have created nursing areas in our home; one in our living room and one in our bedroom. I had read that your body will get used to the area where you usually nurse and you will have a stronger let down so I've been pretty regimented with when and where I nurse. I have found it essential to have items with in reach at all times in these areas. I've dedicated a space on my night stand for these items and also in an end table in the living room. 

These are some of the items I found it important to keep in my nursing spots. I use a small basket as a caddy to take the smaller stuff from station to station. 

Boppy or pillow- Comfort for both me and Jack is so important. If neither of us is comfortable the nursing session does not work well. The Boppy is good but I prefer the average bed pillow. When I nurse in bed I lay side by side with Jack. He eats so much better this way. 

Nipple Pads- Leaks are inevitable just like on my first day back at work!  I have found the organic pads are my favorite and the disposable pads to work the best. 

Hydro Pads- The pain and discomfort in the beginning can be very difficult. These Medela hydro pads were the only thing that helped. I kept the in the fridge when I wasn't using them. 

Nipple Cream- I had used the Lansinoh as it was give as free samples but the Medela cream worked the best for me.

Clock- I don't time our feedings but it is good to know how long he nurses for. I keep track of his feedings for his doctor appointments. 

Water or any hydrating beverage- Nursing dehydrates me like you wouldn't believe. I try to drink a lot through out the day. No matter how much I drink the second he starts to nurse I feel dehydrated. I usually have a large reusable bottle by my side at all times.

Snacks- I often forgot to eat during the early post partum days. I would find myself dizzy and it was the worst. I started packing some snack in with my nursing basket. They usually included trail mix, Fiber One Bars, granola bars and fruit. 

Vitamins- I take my vitamins right before I nurse or right after. It helps that I leave them in the same spot so I don't forget them. I take my prenatal and also Fenugreek to increase my supply.

Burp Clothes- Like I said leaks are inevitable but so it spit up. Green Sprouts are my favorites. 

Remote Controls/Cell Phones- Yes, breastfeeding should be a calm and relaxing time for both you and baby but you can't deny that some entertainment makes the experience a little more bearable. 

Note Pad/ Pen- Keeping track of your feedings is important. Jack had a difficult time gaining weight at one time so I try and keep track of every time he eats and for how long. 

Trash Can- Having a receptacle close is important. After our feedings Jack usually falls fast asleep and I don't move him. It is my favorite time of day so to move him to throw away a nipple pad is just not worth it for me. 

Remember it is important to stay comfortable, entertained and stay nourished during these times.. 

20 Things To Do Before Baby Arrives

I love the blog world and Pinterest for preparing me in many ways for our first born. Of course I was also lucky enough to be the last of my friends to have children so I had lots of advice. I wanted to share some of my own best advice that I found most helpful. Some were tips from the inter webs, friends and some of my own. I gave birth during the nastiest winter and getting out was not pleasant for any one never mind a postpartum mommy and newborn. You learn as you go.  What I have learned is no mother's journey is the same. Each one of us has a unique ride called motherhood. Enjoy it as you go because it goes so fast. Hope some of these hints can help.

Being prepared was key!

Here are just some of the best tips I can give.

Find a pediatrician! We were lucky to have tons of suggestions from our closest friends. I actually put it out in a Facebook post asking local friends who they used. The funny thing is all but 2 friends suggested the same doctors office. Its a family practice and most of my friends grew up seeing the father and now they take their own children there With Jack's health issues it is extremely important for us to love his doctors and we do!

Get familiar with your breast pump. I did not do this. I didn't even take it out of the box before having Jack. I waited till he was home before my crash course in all things Medela. I did regret it. It sounds crazy but I was a little afraid of it. I called a friend who had been an exclusive pumper with her son for advice. Jack refused to latch so we had no other choice. I've learned it was best to do the bare minimum when returning home with baby.

Purchase milk storage bags. I mentioned the best were Target Up and Up brand. They are much cheaper than most and in my opinion much sturdier. Obviously this is for mommas who have a breast pump. Jack was jaundice and had a terrible time latching on so using a pump was key for us.

Make a bunch of freezer meals. In the weeks leading up to Jack's birth we started making meals to store in our freezer. When my mom came to visit she made tons of meals to also keep. Meals that we found easy to freeze were a turkey with all the fixings, baked ziti, beef stew, chili and chicken soup. Another suggestion is picking up some extra tupperware. We didn't and ran out to the store with baby once we had tons of meals and nothing to put them in.

Pack your bags and leave them in a smart spot. I had our bags packed by week 29 after the doctors told us Jack was head down and pretty low. It didn't help that I forgot a bunch of stuff. You can read the post on the on what we packed here. I packed 2 bags; one for my husband and one for mom and baby. I left all of them at my parent's house. They only live 5 miles from our hospital so it made the most sense for us. I have heard it's a good idea to leave them in your vehicles.

Disinfect everything you think you may need. Make sure all the breast pump pieces are disinfected. You will need them. Also, try and disinfect a few bottles and pacifiers. I swear by the Medela microwave steam bags too. Things are conveniently disinfected in 3 minutes!

Visit your hospital, know the rules and protocols. Our hospital is a small community hospital. The front doors lock at 10pm and after that all patients must go through the ER. I didn't tour our hospital because I had an emergency visit at 29 weeks. I met a majority of our nurses and saw the rooms while we were there.

Take Classes. Again, we didn't take classes and I did regret it. I thought the tips from friends and family would be enough. If there is one thing I learned from pregnancy and labor is you can never have enough information but don't let them take over your brain.

Pick out a place where you will purchase your nurses gifts.  See if they will deliver too.  We ordered a tray of cookies from a local bakery. They were nice enough to deliver locally without an extra charge. They were also a lot cheaper and larger than an Edible Arrangement or larger chain.

Charge all electronics and buy batteries. No big deal if you don't have all the necessities. The hospital will have outlets and batteries. We also tried to make sure our iPhones were fully charged at all times when our due date got closer.

Purchase a bottle brush and baby safe soap. This was another thing we didn't do. My husband ran out to Walmart after we got home with Jack to buy both of these items. We like Palmolive Baby best.

Get a folder, binder, and notebook for all baby information. You will get a lot of information. You will also go on a lot of appointments. It's a good idea to keep all receipts for tax reimbursements. Jack has several specialists so we have lots of paperwork and even more questions. I keep a notebook handy for all the questions I may have to ask them.

Keep track of all the wonderful things happening during your pregnancy! I am a picture taker. I try and keep track of everything exciting that happens in our lives and pregnancy was no exception. I currently have a photo book project in Shutterfly that tracked my pregnancy. I like to keep the projects open because you never know when a 50% coupon may arrive in your inbox.

Water proof your bed, couch and car! A friend of mine warned me about this and I'm so glad I took her suggestion. My water broke as I was about to sit on my couch. I'm so glad I had extra covers on my couch. I also made sure to cover the bed (although I could barely sleep in it towards the end), I had extra towels with me at work and in my car just in case!

Install and assemble all baby items you may need. When Jack came home from the hospital we had all the larger items put together. Our cradle, MamaRoo, Pack and Play and co sleeper were all ready to go. We knew we would be using all of the above items so putting them together made the most sense for us. We did not put together some of the other smaller items and we didn't wash all of the clothes we were given as gifts. We didn't use a lot of items we received like the Ergo insert (it was way to cold to bring Jack out on walks and we tried to put him in it once. He hated it.) The items we didn't use we exchanged for diapers, wipes and other necessities.

Relax and pamper yourself! I didn't do enough of this when I was pregnant but when I did get a pedicure it felt like heaven! It did however bring on some contractions for me. A good friend of mine had a pedicure and went into labor with her twins. My feet hurt so bad towards the end I would have paid the girls extra just to rub my legs and feet.

Stock up on quick things to eat. I live in a 3 floor town house. We have LOTS of stairs. One of the first things the nurses tell you not to do is climb stairs after your birth so getting to and from the kitchen in our house was difficult. I made sure I had a stock of easy to carry food. I had granola bars, trail mix and pretzels close wherever I felt hungry.

Purchase thank you cards, print labels. I was shocked at the amounts of gifts we were given. Jack received gifts from family, friends, friend's families, children I work with, neighbors and coworkers. I had picked up a few thanks you cards (16) and ended up having to pick up 3 more packages!!! I had printed some labels ahead of time as well. We were so lucky. Jack is very spoiled.

Create diaper stations on each floor. Like I mentioned our 3 floor town house isn't the ideal spot for new moms. My sister in law brought over her extra changing table and my husband set up a changing table on our main floor. We have separate stations. We have diapers, wipes, ointment, lotions, changes of clothes and anything for new baby on both floors. We did sacrifice some of the room on our main floor but its well worth it. Isn't that what parenthood is all about anyway?

Bookmark your favorite birth announcements. We did not know what we were having so I had looked up several birth announcements before Jack arrived. I bookmarked my favorite gender neutral, girl and boy announcements. Once our newborn pictures were done it was easy to put them together and place an order. Don't forget the coupon codes if you order from Shutterfly or Snapfish. Coupon codes are all over.

Enjoy a nice dinner. We just happened to wait till the very last night as a family of 2 for this fancy dinner. About 6 hours after our nice dinner Jack began his journey into the world. My suggestion would be to avoid the very last few days to indulge in a nice dinner. It may be a while before you can do it again.


Hope this list will help you. Please remember every mommy and every baby are so very different. If you are expecting you will see tons of posts like this one and get even more advice from everyone; friends, family and even complete strangers from the supermarket. Find your own way, recover in your own time and take care of yourself and baby. Most of all enjoy the journey.