Month: November 2012

Van @ 4 Months

by Ashley filed under Van
Growth: You weigh 16 lbs, 8 oz. (82nd percentile). Just for a point of reference, your brother weighed 12 lbs, 12 oz. at four months.You are 27 inches long (97th percentile). You’re outgrowing your swing and bouncer. You head is 16 5/8 inches (60th percentile). You wear a size 3 diaper. I cannot tell you how nice it is to not worry about your weight. I hope this translates to you being a good eater.
Appearance: You hit your three month growth spurt and practically overnight your hair grew noticeably longer. It’s thick and brown and covers your whole head with the exception of a small bald spot still on the back of your head. In your months prior, you had a goofy side profile due to an odd shaped head but during the same growth spurt, your head filled in. Your profile, however, is still kinda goofy. Your right ear still sticks out considerably further than your left. I’m guessing that won’t change. Could be worse. You could have two ears that stick out. Remember to always keep things in perspective. I gather you’ll hear better with your right ear, so be thankful for that.
Your balls are now normal size. I wouldn’t include this in a post except for the fact that if we were to have a third child and if it were to be another boy, I’d like some cheat sheet to remind me when baby boy balls go from fluid filled elephant sized nuts to little baby ball sacks. The answer is about three and a half months. See, now I won’t forget.
Your eyebrows and eyelashes are becoming more apparent, though they’re still very light.
You auntie Kiki says you look like Elmer Fudd. I kinda agree.
Sleeping: You hit the three month growth spurt just a few days after your three month birthday. We were in San Diego and the single night we spent there became known as our worst night yet. You woke every hour, on the hour, from 11pm to 3am, to feed. That’s five additional feedings, not to mention three mid-night shits that also required changing. It was a long night. That three month growth spurt has bit me in the ass twice now, as the same thing happened with your brother. As luck would have it, both times we were away from home.
You’ve gotten back on track, however. I tend to put you down around 10pm and you wake up somewhere around 6am, nurse, and then go back to sleep for a few more hours. You must sense the mornings I work because twice in a row now you’ve awoken early at 4:45 to feed just before I set my alarm to get up to pump and shower. You’re a smart little booger.  There have also been a few surprises this month, with random night feedings. Your baseline is consistent but you like to throw a curve ball every now and again. With that said, you sleep an average of 12 to 13 hours in a 24 hour period. Most of this occurs in one long stretch with a feeding in between. You nap for short spurts of time throughout the day. We’re still swaddling you at night. 
Developmental: Everything goes in your mouth these days and since you’re still lacking in the coordination department, this means your hands end up there more than anything else. You also like sucking on whatever blanket is covering you, but more times than not we find those two fingers pluggin’ up that hole. The doctor said at your last appointment, when you were two months, that you should start batting objects or grabbing a rattle between three and four months. You have no interest in rattles or objects. Instead, it’s the blanket you grab and pull to your little chompers. Even when you’re breastfeeding there’s times you seem more interested in my shirt than my boob. Your hands, in general, do not stop moving. Every now and again, I catch you gazing at them with complete and utter fascination. You have found your hands and you are very impressed.
You are calm and peaceful. You love being in the presence of others and are a quiet observer. I took in to the doc for a shot and you cried less than 5 seconds. Cry isn’t even the right noun, as it was more like a moan. You’re pretty cool, calm, and collected. Which means you’ll probably be a monster when you become a toddler.
You transfer from person to person with ease. As long as someone is paying attention to you, you are more than content.
Your head control has gotten much stronger and I’m now able to carry you on my hip which sure beats the awkward over the shoulder thing. If I stand you up on your feet, you push against the floor pretending to stand. You’ve rolled from your stomach to your back twice in one day and then never again since then. You can lift your head to a 90 degree angle when you’re on your tummy. You also like sitting in the bumbo and are able to tolerate sitting in it for an extended amount of time.
You love watching Hooper play. You track him as he runs all over the room and make great eye contact with him when he finally sits still. You smile when he says “hi-yee” to you and you practically beg for his attention. It’s a special thing to watch mature. Don’t ruin it by fighting over toys and arguing about stupid shit, okay?
You smile and giggle and I’m reminded all over again why every new mom should wait until their child is three months old before determining if having a child was a good idea or not. Eating: I’ve coined you as the one tit wonder. This is because it’s a wonder to me how you can only take one breast, refuse the other, and still be the chunkster that you are. Maybe this is a sign as to what will come in the future. Maybe you’ll release a single like “Ice Ice Baby” and transform from the one tit wonder to the one hit wonder. Dumb joke, I know. It’s late.
As of late, you’ve shown interest in watch others eat. The other day, you were sitting on my lap as I ate and you tracked the food all the way from the plate to my hand to my mouth. It’s like you’re begging for a taste. Pretty soon my young lad, pretty soon.

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Family Photos

by Ashley filed under Family, Photography
Laundry is always better folded when folded by someone else. Dishes are always cleaner when cleaned by someone else. Food is always tastier when cooked by someone else. And family photos are always better when shot by someone else.
Meet Dennis & Jamie.

Dennis and Jaime photographed our wedding, so I was incredibly over the moon when they posted an offer on facebook for a free family session to one lucky winner. And by golly, we were one of what became a few winners. How we were chosen, I’ll never comprehend. I’ve won an occasional buck or two on a scratcher, but other than that, I’m your run of the mill gal whose luck is neither here nor there. I should mention that I also won a chocolate bunny at an Easter Egg hunt when I was seven. It was held at the neighborhood park and you had to find the special golden egg to win. My dad, being the competitive dude that he is, spotted the golden egg before the contest began and in true I want my daughter to be the winner dammit fashion, he pointed it out to me. And thus, I won the chocolate bunny. I don’t even like chocolate, by the way. I digress.
We headed down to San Diego (maybe you remember reading this post about our horrible nights stay) and met up with Dennis and Jamie. Oh Dennis and Jaime. Those two are really something. And by really something, what I mean is that they are the most fun and sincere and genuine people. Really. Willy and I both left a little disappointed that we didn’t live closer as we were both fantasizing about evenings spent on their beautiful patio where the kiddos  played with the chickens and the adults sipped on wine and whiskey while laughing and gossiping about parenthood and life and neighbors we’d like to punch in the face. We offered to have them over for dinner next time they’re in our hood and my fingers are crossed that they take us up on our offer.
I’m so grateful for these photos. Dennis and Jaime, you sure know how to put a smile on this mama’s face.

Live in the San Diego area? Shit, live in New York and got a car and some gas money? I ask because Dennis and Jaime have been oh so generous in offering 50% off portrait shoots booked before the end of the year when you mention The Stork & The Beanstalk. Normal portrait sittings are $250 and include the following: 1 hour of photography, location choice of their studio shoot space or a location within 15 miles of Oceanside, online proof site for 3 months, and your first 8×10 print is only $0.99. Mention The Stork & The Beanstalk and get all this for $125. Such a steal. And with any luck, though you probably don’t even need luck, you’ll leave the session wanting to call these two friends too.
Want to hear more about this incredible duo? Check out this awesome and informative interview by Crash Taylor. A very inspiring, and at times hilarious, read.

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I’m Not the Boss

by Ashley filed under Motherhood
This post is old. If it had hair, it’d be gray. It’s been sitting in my draft folder while I fumbled around with the idea of posting it or keeping it for myself. I don’t care to air out Willy and I’s dirty laundry. The more I’ve thought about it, however, the feelings presented have more to do with motherhood than anything else. In any case, Willy and I have moved on from where we were when I wrote this. I’m sure many of you can relate and that is why I have decided to share this post with you. Here we go…
Both of my parents owned their own business. Because of this, I knew from a young age that I never wanted my own business. That’s because I never want to be boss. I like the idea of clocking in and clocking out and leaving work both figuratively and literally.
What I didn’t realize when I became a mom is that I also became a boss. Becoming a mom is by far my greatest accomplishment. I rarely talk about the downsides of motherhood because truth be told, there aren’t many.
Except that I have become the boss.
I loathe that role.
And it happened by default. I realized it following this conversation the other morning:
Me: “Maybe you could set an alarm to wake up before 10am to help me out on Saturday and Sunday mornings”.
Willy: “Why didn’t you wake me up?”
I’ll save you the details of the hissy fit that followed and say that I answered with, “Because I’m not your boss”. Somehow it’s become my duty as a mom to manage our lives. That’s the role of a boss after all, right?
And by boss I mean I’m the nagger, the organizer, and the sleep deprived over-worked worker. I’m the one that goes to bed at night still thinking about my business.
And by business I mean my household. I run over things that need to be done the next day and how to do them most efficiently. I multi-task, because you know, I’m a mother.
I love my role as mom. I hate my role as boss. Yet it’s my role as mom that gave birth to my role as boss.
I’m sure I’m not the first mom to feel this way. My gut tells me this is all too common. So I turn to ya’ll. I want to hear your thoughts. And advice.

 

Mama Style

by Ashley filed under Uncategorized

vintage dress c/o etsy seller threading marigolds // tights, target // shoes, chelsea crew
Today’s mama style post is a special one because it’s brought to you by the lovely Threading Marigolds. Threading Marigolds is run by three wonderful women, two sisters and one cousin. Gotta love family run small business. Kristi, Lisa, and Jamy have been crafting and sharing styling tips since the good ol’ days.
Their store is comprised of several vintage and handmade items. I asked them to participate in a little Q & A. Here’s what they had to say:
How did the idea to open an etsy shop come about?
First off, our shop is a collective made up of a cousin (kristi) and two sisters (Jamy and myself, Lisa).  The idea of our etsy shop started years ago during one of our many craft-food-antiquing get-togethers, but it wasn’t until this past year that we started seriously thinking about it as something new we could do together and a way to take time for ourselves.  We’ve always been interested in arts, crafts, and all things vintage, but we’re all very busy with our day-to-day lives.  (I’m a PhD student and college instructor, Jamy is a kindergarten teacher, and Kristi is a middle school counselor who is pregnant with her third son!!). We figured if we were going to attempt to launch an Etsy shop, it needed to happen in the summer.  So, in July we launched our collective shop, Threading Marigolds, selling both vintage and handcrafted pieces. While everyone contributes to our vintage collection, I am the one primarily in charge of selling vintage. I also make scented soy candles in vintage and new vessels. Jamy, my sister, hand-stitches felt and repurposed fabric owls and makes aluminum flower brooches. My cousin, Kristi, makes fabric pom-poms. It sounds like quite the odd mix, we know, but with our busy lives, we knew that our shop’s success would depend upon our collaborative efforts.
Tell us about your love for all things vintage and handmade.
We all spent most of our youth crafting, playing dress-up with family vintage heirlooms, running around in cornfields, climbing trees and overall just being kids. Today we still get together from our diverse locations—Illinois, Virginia and Florida—for craft-a-thons and antiquing shenanigans. A very vivid memory for me is rummaging through my mom’s amazing closet filled with dresses from the 1960s and 1970s (I still have several that I wear).  My grandma also had one of the craziest vintage hat collections (still in the family!) from the 1920s-1940s.  These early encounters with old, sometimes fragile objects taught me to appreciate their histories and aesthetic.  As Jamy and I became teenagers, we both based our entire fashion sense on mixing new items with thrifted items.  In fact, I remember going to Bargain City in the suburbs of Atlanta every single Monday for 50% off!  Today, I personally look for vintage pieces that have a cross-over value, meaning I can wear them casually on the weekend or out with friends, but also dress them up for when I teach or have meetings.  Most of the vintage pieces I put in the shop have this cross-over value (or whatever you want to call it!).  I also love comfortable things!!!  My wardrobe is supplemented with new pieces and vintage-inspired dresses–usually from ModCloth or Anthropologie.
Hand-made for all of us is about the process of making something with our own hands.  We also fill our homes with handmade objects from others (usually from Etsy!).  I think I can say that we all prefer buying these types of items that support artisans, shopping local, and small business owners rather than big-box stores.  Of course, that’s not to say that we don’t ever shop there!  In fact, I’m trying my hardest to shop only from small businesses and Etsy this holiday season…we’ll see how it goes!!!
Who are your style icons?
This is a really tough question!!!
Without a doubt, the first name that pops into my head is Audrey Hepburn.  But, I also love the fashion that comes mostly out of old films–whether it be quirky Woody Allen films (he’s my fav), Godard or Hitchcock–but also of course many contemporary icons and bloggers (to name but a few that I regularly follow: The Dainty Squid, A Beautiful Mess and Meredith from One Sheepish Girl).  Oh, I also have to say, because I’ve been slllloooowwwly rewatching the entire series: I LOVE Diane Chambers’ fashion sense from the sitcom, Cheers.  Carla Tortelli also knows how to rock some amazing colored high-waisted jeans and printed tops.
If we’re talking about a home style…that’s a whole different list!!
Kristi, Lisa, and Jamy are offering a 20% discount at their shop with coupon code storkandbeanstalk. Here are some of my favorite items:
                                                               green polka dot shirt      //      lace skirt                                                                                                                                   esprit purse  //  blue dress        
                                                                    pom pom flower       //      vintage cooking pot

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So, You Think You’re Pregnant?

by Ashley filed under Pregnancy

Both of my pregnancies have been planned, which means following my monthly period I was counting days, tracking my ovulation, and then waiting anxiously. Ten days or so doesn’t seem like a long time, but when you’re waiting to be able to take that oh-so-important test, it feels like f o r e v e r. Both times around I found myself feverishly searching the net for the earliest signs and symptoms of pregnancy and each time I came across things like: nausea, missed period, tender breasts. I mean come on. They might as well include weight gain predominately in the abdominal region. I was always searching for the signs and symptoms of pregnancy before all the obvious signs and symptoms of pregnancy. True, I may have just been searching for the internet’s magic eight ball. But, there are some things I’ve noticed with both pregnancies before I tested positive. In fact, the second time around the test was nothing more than reassurance. Ladies, you know you don’t leave that sticks side after you pee on it, right? You’re practically glued to that thing, anxiously waiting for some stick to tell your fate. Well, this last time around, I peed on it. And then I showered. And then I dried off. And then I combed my hair. Brushed my teeth. You get the idea. Then I looked at the result. It was positive. I knew it would be. And here’s why:
-Menstral cramps for a day. They are strong. So close to the real thing that I find myself in the bathroom immediately expecting Aunt Flow to be there.
-Smell of urine. I think a lab could save money running pregnancy tests and just hire me to sniff their urine. The smell is that distinct to me. It’s strong. And the urine is darker, more concentrated like when you’re dehydrated. I was thrown off by the menstral cramp feeling because that, of course, could always just be your period coming. But once I caught a wiff of that urine, I knew for certain.
-Upset stomach. Not to be confused with nausea. More like a general ache and fatigue. Some dull lower abdomen cramping (unspecific to one side or the other).
-Frequent bowel movements. Not sure why. I think it could  be from the increased cramping or it could be due to a change in hormones. But, sure enough, both times this has been a symptom for me.
Do you remember any specific signs and symptoms of pregnancy before you got that positive test?

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Hooper @ 24 Months

by Ashley filed under Hooper
Growth: You weigh 28 pounds (50th percentile), are 35 1/4 inches tall (70th percentile), and your noggin is 19 1/4 inches (60th percentile). Your height and head circumference are in the same percentile as your 18 month checkup. Your weight has jumped percentiles (you were in the 30th). Guess chasing you around with a spoonful of food has paid off. You’re welcome. Though it’s been a real pain in my ass.
 Appearance: You had your second hair cut ever this month. You got to sit on a fake motorcycle while the fortune teller of a hairdresser made predictions about your hair. She says you will not be blond. She also says you have tons and tons of hair coming in and are destined to have very thick hair. Her certainty about it all kinda made me want to ask her about other things in life like what your favorite color will be when your ten years old. You know, the important stuff.
Your fingers are hyper-extended like mine. When I was little, I used to bend my index finger back and tuck it under a rubber band so that straight on it appeared that I only had four fingers. This was my absolute favorite trick for a long, long time. I hope you can carry on my four finger legacy.
Feeding: I’m considering starting a series entitled, “Toys at the Table”. That’s because, as of late, toys have been a great utensil. And by utensil I mean a tool used to feed. So in addition to the overly used fork and knife, at our table you will also find a slinky and a puppet. The puppet has been our saving grace. So effective that I’m considering building a chair just for it to join us at mealtime. As soon as that thing goes over our hand, your mouth opens. You enjoy pretending to feed it too. Sometimes we’ll use the laptop to play videos to distract you while you eat. Gangnam Style and the parody Hot Dog Condom Style are sure bets. You eat, without any hesitation, whenever either of these videos are playing.
You ate an entire serving of tilapia the other night, your first time agreeing to eat fish. That’s the first “new” thing we’ve tried in a while, as we’ve given in to keeping your meals relatively routine, rotating amongst the six or so different meals you “like”.
You also eat your own boogers.
I asked your Papa his input for this section. Here’s what he had to say: “It sucks”.
Developmental: I’m still stickin’ to the fact you are left handed. You hold a pencil, every time, with your left hand. You use your right, however, to eat and do some other random things.
You know the colors pink, green, brown, blue, and yellow though more times than not you refer to everything as “boo” aka blue.
You’re still quite bossy. My favorite move as of late is when you pat the sofa and say “bay-bee, bay-bee”, instructing me to put the baby down. After I set Van down, you grab my hand and yank me around to whatever it is you want. Usually you want to go to the front yard.
You jump well. The sofa cushions will never be the same. Neither will your head when you inevitably fall off the sofa from jumping on it one of these days. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
On any given day, you can still find a line of cars somewhere. Be it on the table, the sofa, or on the floor it comes with a guarantee that there will be a line of cars. 
Talking: I wound up your little Mickey mouse toy and as Mickey scooted across the floor, you proclaimed “cooool” for the first time. So apparently, in addition to knowing a new word, you also have ideas and preferences and things you consider cool. Where or where did my baby go?
You say way too many words to keep track of. You’ll repeat just about anything we ask you to say.
You are limited to two sentences: “doo doo, papa” (when Papa farts) and “mama car” (when you see a car that resembles mine).
You pronounce your name as “Ha-poo”. Though more times than not, when we ask you what your name is, you reply with “me”.
You also started raising both palms up to the air as if asking a question as to where something went or what something is. It’s pretty cute.
Sleeping: Day light savings began and all the sudden you get up early. Not sure if the time change has anything to do with it, but you’re not going to bed any later than before so it doesn’t logically make any sense. I’ve always considered myself lucky for having a child that slept and napped so well. It seemed only fair that if you were gonna be a horrible eater that you would be a terrific sleeper. As of late, I’m not sure where that good sleeper went. You used to get up around 9am. The last few mornings you’ve gotten up at 7:30am. One morning you got up at 6:30am. You’re still napping one to two times a day. Some days you nap for two others, other days you nap for four. If we’re home, you’ll take a second nap for about an hour or two. If we’re out and about, you deal fine without the nap.
You’re still very attached to your blanket. It gets dragged around the house daily. It has a clone for when one it’s too dirty. We keep it’s clone a secret. You also like all your stuffed animals on your bed when you go to sleep. Ain’t nothing so sweet as coming into your room and watching you sleep curled up with your blanket in a sea of smurfs, clowns, and monsters. 
Favorites: You love running. The pitter patter of your steps kills me. When your “na na” comes over, you have the best time chasing her around the house. You’re also still a fan of stupid Yo Gabba Gabba. I can’t wait until you have a concept of death so I can lie to you and convince you that all the characters have died. Maybe I should win you a gold fish at a carnival. Those die fast. Then we could have the whole lesson on death. Fortunately, you love books to so I do my best to offer to read to you instead of turning the TV on. It works sometimes. Other times you stalk me with the remotes in your hands until I give in to your annoying persistence. Other things you love include walking around the house with our shoes on, putting my bracelets on your wrist, pretending to swim in the bath, and candy (thanks a lot Halloween).

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Happy Birthday, Hooper

by Ashley filed under Family, Holiday, Hooper
I shared video from his birthday last week, but here’s some photos from the party.
Before:

For the record, in the photos above he had no pants on. Shirt, tie, and diaper. That’s how 2 year olds roll.
And, here’s some from the par-tay:

(That’s Hooper’s great grandma. She’s 95. I’m just sayin’.)

(Great g’ma numero dos. Not 94.)

Is the polite thing to do to apologize for the photo overload? If so, I’m sorry.
I spent a lot of time stressing over Hooper’s birthday. Everything from where to have it, who to invite, and what to eat was decided last minute. And by last minute I mean we bought and put together an outdoor heater the morning of the party. In the end, it was great. We invited some family, some friends, and ordered pizza. We contemplated inviting people we knew that had kids for the sake of having kids at his party, but in the end we decided he’s not going to remember his party anyway and opted to stick to our friends only. As it turned out, when we put all the children of our friends in one room, we had a baseball team minus the outfielders anyway. And lets face it, outfielders don’t do anything other than pick grass. I digress. It was a fun day and we checked off a lot of the home to do list the day before with the help of my in-laws. In any case, I’m making a mental note to be more organized next year to alleviate some of the last minute hustle and bustle.

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A Sponsored Giveaway {CLOSED}

by Ashley filed under Uncategorized
You know what I love about the holidays? Snail mail. When I was a youngin, I used to ask my dad what he wanted for his birthday. His response was always the same: A card. I thought he was so silly. I thought he was trying to give me the easy way out. Now that I’m a mom, I see the beauty in receiving something your child made or wrote with their own little grubby hands. That’s why I’m delighted to be hosting a giveaway today from etsy seller Craft Goblin. Hash tag: Long live snail mail. She makes the most beautiful cards and is kindly offering one winner a set of five cards. The winner can chose between any of the cards pictured in this post. The typewriter cards can be changed to read whatever you’d like. Get creative, people!
If you don’t win but would still like to make a purchase, Craft Goblin has been nice enough to offer 15% off your purchase with coupon code STORKSAVINGS. Best of luck! You can enter by visiting her etsy shop and leaving a comment about what card you would chose! I’ll pick the winner by random two weeks from today. Please make sure your email address is valid.

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Mama Style

by Ashley filed under Uncategorized

ethnic print cardigan from etsy seller dirty birdies vintage // buckle boots from target // vintage ski sweater from etsy seller petal pink vintage // alpine boots
Please ignore my creepy pinky finger in the photo above. I’m telling you, I could do an “outtake” post each week just making fun of my botched poses for these mama style posts. I opted to keep the creepy pinky photo in this week because it beat a lot of others.
Mental note: Mind your pinky. And buy some boots. Rain has started falling.
Done. Added to the to do list. Now onto mommy-type-stuff.
It’s begun, I’ve started making shower wall art. What’s shower wall art, you ask? It’s abstract art I make on the tiled wall, using my strands of rejected hair, during my shower. I’m talking about postpartum hair loss people. It’s begun. And so the script goes: Enter an episode of minor depression. My hairline still appears somewhat intact, so I’m reserving the episode of major depression until later when Willy tells me, “The way you have your hair right now makes you look like you have bald spots”. That’s how it happened the first time around. I’m guessing it’ll be right around Christmas time. Puuuurfect.
Ho hum.
In other news, Hooper’s birthday has come and gone. Oh my goodness, I have a TWO year old. Where does the time go? asks the creepy lady looking under the sofa cushion in disbelief. I posted some video footage from his party on Friday and I have some other photos to share this week. I had quite a few things on my to do list to prepare for the party and got much of it done thanks to the incredible help from my in-laws who were in town for the celebration. It feels really good to have so much checked off the ever-growing mama to do list. Gotta love family!
Check back tomorrow for a rad giveaway from etsy seller Craft Goblin and be sure to check out last Monday’s giveaway from Cuddle Smart that is still open for another six days!! EEeeee!!! It’s all so exciting!

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Seven Hundred & Thirty Days of Life

by Ashley filed under Holiday, Hooper, Videos

Dear Hooper,
There’s a lot to be said about becoming a mom. For me, it happened two years ago. I vaguely remember who I was before that day and part of that girl still burns deep inside me. But today, I’m mom. Your mom. And I couldn’t be more proud. But today is not about me, it’s about you. Happy Birthday, Hoop. This sure is a fun journey. Thanks for the ride.
I love you,
Mama

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Breastfeeding

by Ashley filed under Breastfeeding

Anyone who has done any amount of research on how to increase your milk supply has stumbled upon fenugreek. There’s a plethora of options to chose from, some pricier than others. I use the Gaia liquid filled capsule because the lady at Whole Foods told me it’s the best for reasons that went in one ear and out the other. It’s one of the more expensive options, of course, costing $18 for 60 capsules. When I was breastfeeding Hooper, I was willing to do just about anything to boost my supply. I cared less if the fenugreek worked or not because it helped me feel like I was being proactive and at the time, that was enough. This time around, I have a hearty stash of frozen breast milk in my freezer. And by hearty, I mean I cannot fit anything else in there and am considering purchasing an additional freezer for the garage or even donating some milk. I digress, back to fenugreek. I bought some fenugreek right before I started my daily pump sessions, around 4 weeks postpartum, to ensure that I’d like what I saw when I began pumping. I’ve used it off and on since then and being that my breastfeeding/pumping schedule is pretty regular, I thought I’d run a little fenugreek experiment.
Here’s the details:
-I took 3 fenugreek capsules after breakfast and another 3 capsules after dinner, for a total of 6 capsules a day.
-I recorded how much I pumped daily over a 12 day period. Results are based solely on my pump sessions for measuring purposes. I pump the same time each day (once immediately after Van’s morning feed and again one hour after that).
-I threw out the high and the low and averaged the remaining 10 days.
-I smelled like maple syrup everyday (common side effect of the fenugreek extract).
…And… dun-dun-dun… drum roll please… The Results:
-Without fenugreek, I averaged 3.8 oz. per pump session.
-With fenugreek, I averaged 4.6 oz. per pump session.
-Fenugreek gave me an added 1.6 oz. a day, based on 2 pump sessions a day.
Onto the larger question: Is it worth it? With 60 capsules in a bottle, taking 6 capsules a day lasts for a 10 day period. It comes out to $1.72/day. What do you think? Is it worth it? Have you tried fenugreek before?

Side note: you can still enter Monday’s giveaway!! For those that do not have facebook, you can still enter to win by visiting Cuddle Smart’s website and leaving a comment on Monday’s post telling me what’s your favorite Cuddle Smart product. Good luck!

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You Be The Judge…

by Ashley filed under Ashley, Hooper, Motherhood, Van
Ignore the fact we both have rubber duckies in the photos above. Total coincidence. I always thought Hooper was a pretty good mix of both of us and based on the fact Van looks pretty dang similar to Hooper as a baby, I assume the same will be true for him. But after looking at our baby photos, I’m thinkin’ these boys look a lot more like their Papa. What do you think?

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A Sponsored Giveaway

by Ashley filed under Motherhood
We have a special giveaway today from our friends over at Cuddle Smart Antimicrobial Baby Products. All of their baby products are engineered from Argent 47™antimicrobial silver yarn, that eliminates odor-causing bacteria and prevents mildew, mold and fungi. As a registered nurse, I’m already familiar with silvers antimicrobial effects and was excited to see that the use has extended to baby care.
I was never a germ-a-phob until I went to nursing school. We did a project where we took a swab from a public area and let it marinate, if you will, in a petri dish to see what would grow. I remember one guy swabbed the bottom of his shoe and what grew out of that petri dish resembled a mossy rainbow. It’s sounds beautiful, but when you attach names like methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus to this mossy rainbow, it ain’t so beautiful. It’s gross.
Even as a nurse, I try to operate under the idea that what doesn’t kill my children will make them stronger. I’m not a freak about what they put in their mouths because I understand that I probably only see 10% of what they put in there anyway. Point being, you can’t protect them from everything all the time. When Hooper was just starting to crawl, I left him on a blanket on the front lawn while I pulled the trash cans out to the curb. When I came back up the driveway, he had maneuvered off the blanket and picked up a piece of dog poop. And I guess he was hungry because I watched from afar as he put it in his mouth. I know, gross.
What I do do (no pun intended), as a nurse and as a mom, is protect them from environmental things that are totally in my control like what they sleep on and what I change them on and what I wrap them in after a bubble bath. The fact that Cuddle Smart uses silver yarn in their products probably means didly swat to most people. In the hospital, however, we use Silversorb gel on many of our gnarly wounds (and trust me, they are gnarly) because of silver’s effectiveness against bacteria and fungi. So when Cuddle Smart contacted me about doing a review, I was more than on board.
Here’s a glimpse at some of their products: 
It goes without saying that the changing pad area is a dirty area. It brings me great comfort to know that I’m laying my little ones on something clean and proactive toward the bacteria that can be found here. Cuddle Smart also carries a fold-n-go changing pad to use on the run, which I highly recommend carrying the diaper bag at all times.  
The fitted crib sheet is thick and plush. Knowing that it is fighting bacteria while simultaneously offering Van a comfy nights sleep (fingers crossed for that 8 hour stretch) makes for one happy mama.

The wash cloth and hooded towel are towelrrific. Seriously, made with the same great quality and softness as all their other products. The towel is the perfect size for Hooper and makes for some great post bath cuddle time. I also use their washcloth as a sponge during bathtime as it’s soft and absorbant. 
All of their products are incredibly soft and made with great quality. They have been so kind as to offer one of their fitted crib sheets (upon my request, as it’s my favorite) to a lucky reader. You can enter by clicking on the “enter to win” icon below. If you do not win, Cuddle Smart has been kind enough to offer my readers a 25% discount with coupon code STORK25. They have a baby registry too, so for all you preggers out there, get busy clickin’ away!Disclosure: Cuddle Smart provided me with their products, free of change, in order for me to use the product and write a review. The opinions in this review are my own.

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Bits + Pieces

by Ashley filed under Bits + Pieces

Carla and Van meet again // Kinfolk for me and Kinfolk for my dearest friend // Hoop // Vintage wild west goodies from g’ma Vick // Toys all over the place, all the time // Hoop and his buddy Evan // And Van, contemplating the life of an infant.
Sorry for no post yesterday. I’m still battling that proverbial wall. You know that feeling when you respond to ten emails only to get five more? It’s been like that… only with everything from dishes to kids to work. It’s been a while since I felt ahead and it’s no fun always trying to catch up. You know how it is, I’m sure. In any case, it’s Friday and a little someone over here is having an early birthday party tomorrow. Of course that means I have a whole separate “Birthday To Do List” in addition to my regular “To Do List”. Such is life. If you run into the time fairy, send her my way. In the meantime, HAPPY F’N FRIDAY ya’ll!

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Circus Fun

by Ashley filed under Family

We love the circus, yes we do. It goes along with the whole epiphany I had during Halloween that everything that was fun as a kid is ten times more fun as a parent watching your kid enjoy it for the first time. And the circus is no exception. This was our second circus with our members and we’re two for two as far as maintaining a toddler’s attention and keeping an infant quiet goes. Woot woot. I won’t mention the fact that the zebra jumped the circus ring and nearly trampled the audience because that would dampen the mood. But it did happen and it was scary.

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Shop My Home

by Ashley filed under Uncategorized

vintage mod travel bag (16″ tall, 22″ tall including round straps, 16.5″ wide, 6″ thick)

vintage wall hangings (12″ tall by 6″ wide) // sticker on the back says “syroco wood”, though these are very light weight
vintage dress by jonathan logan (shoulder to shoulder 15 “, bust 17 “, waist 13.5”, length from shoulder to bottom 32 “, estimated size small)
I’m not a hoarder. Really, I’m not. But I can’t pass up a stellar deal. And I also change my mind a lot. The result is a lot of things in our garage and a little ol’ closet busting at the seams. I contemplated opening an etsy shop for a while, but I really don’t want the rotating responsibility. Once the stuff is gone, shop is closed. So, I’m gonna give the growing Shop My Home movement a try.
If you’re interested in purchasing any of the above, here’s the details: First come, first serve so first to comment has first dibs (make sure your email is correct). The price includes shipping. Payment via paypal is accepted and the item will ship after payment has been received. If you want more info on any of the items, please ask.

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Pitter Patter.

by Ashley filed under Hooper
Toddlers are hard. There’s not denying it. They require a lot of attention and they’re hard to communicate with and they require discipline that they don’t yet understand. They are also the funnest (I know, not a word. Whatever, you grammar freaks), most entertaining wide eyed little sponges around. And how ’bout that toddler waddle that produces that pitter patter? I’ll never tire of that waddle or that pitter patter. Just the other day I confessed to Willy that I hope he always runs the way he does now… Like he’s stuck and can’t decide between breaking into the chicken dance or joining a marching band, resulting in an elbows out and knees high running waddle. I can’t get enough. Hooper, I love you with my whole heart.

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